Cigar Journal’s Cigar Trophy competition gets fiercer each year, yet it remains the industry’s most coveted. There are four categories, however, which are not decided by public vote. The Charity & Community Award is one of them.
The Charity & Community Award was won by ProNica, a cigar charity set up by Sasja van Horssen of the Netherland’s Longfiller Company.
Photo: Volker Schäffner
After visiting a Fe y Alegria (Faith and Happiness) School in Estelí on a tobacco trip in 2015, he vowed to help poor children in Nicaragua get a better start in life. Since then, with the launch of his Nicaraguan cigar-only store, Cigaragua in Amsterdam, he has raised 10 cents for the charity for every Nicaraguan cigar sold. The total amount raised currently stands at a staggering USD 90,000.
“I’m very proud to win this award, of course,” he told the awards audience. “But it’s not about me – it’s about all of you; you’ve all supported me and supported this charity, so thank you and let’s do more.”
