Lacquer: Sovereignties that feed back
- The Lakari cooperative is more than a food store: it offers advice in the field of food and social entrepreneurship, as well as event snacks. Its aim is food sovereignty, but other sovereignty is also being worked out in the workplace: labour sovereignty, financial sovereignty, energy, telecommunications and technology.
The members explain that the reason for creating Lakari was the sovereignty of work: “Here we wanted to work and live in a sovereign way.” After shaping the project, to start it they had to ask for a loan to deal with the ‘investment that was great for us’, and they decided to bet on ethical finance: “We did it with Fiare, because from the beginning we wanted to explore the path of financial sovereignty.” They remember that the debate arose among them, “because for us we needed funding and we looked at the penny; interest rates and they are somewhat higher in ethical finance.” But in particular the difference in total interest was analyzed, “the difference was 3,000 euros in seven years, and we know that that money will go to other social and transformative projects, while in other banks we do not know what that money is used for, and in many cases we know that it is also used for speculation or the arms industry”. The argument of support for other projects prevailed and so decisions were made in favor of ethical finance. But they recognise the need to use ‘traditional banks’ for day-to-day use, as they are the only ones that offer a dataphone service and the possibility of making changes.
On the other hand, the lack of light at the site where the store was installed forced Iberdrola to be its client for two years in exchange for establishing the service. “But we did it by joining Goiener when we could, about two years ago.” They also offer us an advisory service and have made us feel that we are part of a community from the very beginning.
‘From the outset we have also worked on technological sovereignty’ explains the members of Lakari. Since their inception, they have maintained close cooperation with the cooperative Talaios, of Olatukoop, which develops free technologies and offers consultancy services, and “for their advice”, from the outset they have opted for free software: both the collection or purchase management program in the shop (Odoo), as well as the free software they have on all work computers. “Two years ago, moreover, we decided to opt for the Nextcloud program for the documentation warehouse with our own server, we also linked technology with sovereignty.”
They've also decided to take a step further in the field of technology with their own Jaki tool. It is a personalized advice that allows you to make weekly menus balanced, healthy, worthy of price and made with seasonal products. For this to be possible, in addition to the necessary close communication, they have managed to develop an advanced technological tool.
They wished to stress that the work of field to field sovereignty is “a process and a permanent transition”. That nothing is perfect and that ‘we must be able to manage inconsistencies’, and that, basically, the key is ‘constantly improving the ways of doing and products’.
The last leap to sovereignty has been made in telecommunications by the Abaila cooperative, founded in 2020: “We have the Internet with them. We have left room at Lakari's headquarters to install its node and through the Arraio free radio they have the opportunity to broadcast the signal to Zarautz." Abaila is doing bureaucratic work to be able to offer the telephone service, and when they do, Laka will hire the telephone with them: ‘They belong to the region, we are in Zarautz and they are in Zumaia, and from the sovereignty of the territory we have decided to work with them’.
The people of Lakari see in their daily lives more needs that they would like to meet through the transformative social economy: ‘As a challenge, for example on issues of prevention of occupational risks and we see no one of reference. Another example is the rental of printers, which we see there's a vacuum in these kinds of supplies. To see if anyone is encouraged." In the future, they dream of providing unified responses to common needs in collaboration with other actors in the transformative social economy. “If the opportunity of the transformative social economy is already underway to respond to the needs we have in our projects, it is easier to make the leap to sovereignty. But the changes to sovereignty come, above all, from one’s own reflection’.
FICHE
What it does: a sustainable consumption model, a shopping space, counseling and cooperative education for the revitalization of local sustainable cultivation and the promotion of healthy eating.
Workers and partners: 5.
Residence: Zarautz.
Contact: info@lakari.eus
