Terra Verde

The Social Cooperative Enterprise Terra Verde (Green Earth) is a collective of people seeking to offer an alternative model of trade that respects the environment, society, and human dignity. Its members share the idea of fair and ethical production and distribution of goods, guided by principles of solidarity, equality, and environmental protection.

Terra Verde has been active since 2009 and today operates two stores on Tsouderon Street in the center of Chania, offering selected food products. These stores employ people with disabilities, supported by special education professionals and volunteers.

At the same time, the space hosts a café and a bookstore, which operate daily. The café serves coffee from Zapatista communities and other beverages, while the bookstore offers titles from small, cooperative publishing houses. The collective also organizes numerous informational and social events related to the environment, society, and culture.

Terra Verde is not simply a shop. It is a vibrant social cell that seeks to promote fairer working conditions without exploitation by multinational corporations, highlight the history, geography, and labor of producers, support grassroots initiatives, and foster the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce.

How it started

Inspired by the social movements of Latin America, Terra Verde began its operation by distributing products such as coffee, tea, and sugar from self-organized communities, collectives, and cooperatives in Latin America, India, Vietnam, South Africa, Guatemala, and Ecuador. With the help of a network of similar collectives in Greece and Europe, agricultural and other products from socially active producers and cooperatives around the world found their way onto its shelves.

Mode of operation

The Terra Verde team, which consists of more than twenty members, operates according to its statutes, based on the General Assembly, which convenes on the first Wednesday of each month and is represented by an elected Administrative Committee. The committee meets regularly and decides on the cooperative’s activities following consultation with the General Assembly.

Terra Verde’s revenues are allocated exclusively to salaries and operating expenses, with most members contributing on a voluntary basis. The Administrative Committee ensures full financial transparency by presenting the annual financial report to the General Assembly.

Funding by Co-Fund

The current funding provided to Terra Verde concerns the support of one of its branches, where five people with disabilities are employed, as well as the overall strengthening of the initiative’s cash flow.

The effort to establish this branch began three years ago, with the aim of supporting members of the local community who belong to vulnerable groups. This effort would not have been possible without the support of secondary and special education teachers, as well as psychosocial support professionals who contribute their expertise to creating a safe working environment that ensures the psychosocial well-being of the employees. These jobs support the personal development of the individuals employed, providing visibility and prospects while helping to lift the social exclusion they face.

In conclusion, Co-Fund’s financial support substantially contributes to Terra Verde’s effort to become a model of social entrepreneurship, focusing on environmental sustainability, social innovation, economic viability, and the labor and social (re)integration of people with disabilities, thereby offering economic, environmental, and social benefits to the local community.