IWCA in the News & Past Events

2013 IWCA 10th Annual Breakfast




IWCA 10th Anniversay Luncheon at NCA Convention with Grace Hightower De Niro 

On Friday, March 22nd 2013, The International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) hosted their annual fund-raising luncheon, which took place at the  102nd Annual National Coffee Association convention in San Francisco. This year, men and women from throughout the industry attended to see guest speaker Grace Hightower De Niro and hear how she embarked on her journey into coffee.  After NCA President Robert Nelson and IWCA President Grace Mena kicked off the luncheon, Grace Hightower De Niro took the stage for an intimate event.

She revealed that her interest in Rwanda was first peaked after watching the movie Hotel Rwanda. Later she heard the country’s president giving a speech, trying to encourage unification. She remembers him pleading, “We want trade, not aid.” Once she visited the country, “it was the people that dominated my impression,” says Grace. “Seeing the women in the farms was a reflection of my past and my childhood.”

“The people of Rwanda take pride in the products they produce,” Grace continues. “”The women had such a sense of sincerity, the kids were full of life, and the men supported and valued the women who made it all possible.” She launched her Coffee of Grace line in 2011, after teaming up with Tom and Patty Mitchell of Strategic Coffee Concepts, which is now distributed in Whole Foods throughout the East Coast. “I set out on this venture with four
major goals: to bring awareness, to produce a high quality product, to work directly with the farmers to ensure they were being paid a premium, and to support women being brought into the business side of the coffee sector- not just helping in the farms.”
Attendees of the luncheon also got to sample some of Grace’s coffees, with notes of floral, coco and citrus, with a hint of sweetness and a soft mouth feel. 

“This project not only helped the people, and women, of Rwanda, but it also was empowering for me…it gave me more confidence in myself,” Grace concluded. “My advice to women would be to continue to nurture the power within you; express and explore your passions by forgetting about gender. For men, I would say to not be intimidated by a women’s creativity. Support our power and share the message with your brothers. For the coffee industry, I would suggest we continue to raise awareness of the people behind it all. The world doesn’t appreciate and value that part of it as much as we should.”

With the success of fund-raising events such as the Annual Luncheon, the IWCA continues to empower the women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and strives to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry.

About Grace: Grace Hightower De Niro is an American mother, philanthropist, actress and singer.  As a board member of the New York Women’s Foundation and a member of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, Grace strives to empower women and their communities to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives through their work.  Grace’s love of coffee and dedication to empowering women worldwide led her to launch “Grace Hightower & Coffees of Rwanda,” with the mission of enhancing the lives of the Rwandan people by providing opportunities to market their unique products to the world. Grace also serves as a board member of the New York Fund for Public Schools, as well as a member of Ronald Perlman’s Women’s Heart Health Advisory Council.   She has been honored for her work and dedication by the New York Women’s Foundation and the American Cancer Society of New York City.   Grace resides in New York City with her husband, actor Robert De Niro, and their two children.


2010 World Export Development Forum, China
The 2010 World Export Development Forum (WEDF) held in Chongqing, China, September 9-12 brought together close to 400 participants representing 60 different countries. Phyllis Johnson, President of BD Imports, took the opportunity to discuss her involvement with the IWCA and her role in conjunction with the ITC Women in Trade Program. Phyllis is leading a project to help empower African women in coffee.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

SCAA 2010 IWCA Breakfast
The 2010 8th Annual IWCA Breakfast featured a comprehensive review of  2009 involvement, activity and origin programs, including a recap of the grant recipients.  The program also highlighted the LOI signing by Maria Cristina Mendoza for IWCA’s newest chapter in Colombia.  Aimee Russillo and Karen Cebreros introduced the process to apply for 2010 Origin Grant requests and unveiled a new coffee supporting “micro-loans”.

The popular “Marketplace” returned in 2010, featuring artwork, crafts, and jewelry from the IWCA chapters in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua.  All proceeds from the “Marketplace” went directly to the participating chapters.


World Coffee Conference 2010

The Guatemalan National Coffee Association, Anacafé, in cooperation with the government of Guatemala and the International Coffee Organization, hosted the third World Coffee Conference in Guatemala City, February 26–28, 2010. Approximately 1,517 people from 76 countries participated in the event, and the IWCA played a prominent role at the conference and had its 2010 annual meeting in conjunction with this event.

The Social Sustainability segment of the conference was coordinated and presented by the IWCA. Moderated by the Secretary-General, InterAfrican Coffee Organisation (IACO) H.E. Mme Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, presentations included Promoting Possibilities by Launtia Taylor, IWCA 2010 President of the Board of Directors. Taylor showed examples of how the IWCA is connecting women ‘from seed to cup.’ Other presenters included Karl Schmidt, President, Probat Burns, Inc.; Ana Laura Quirós Montoya, President of the Asociación de Mujeres Organizadas de Biolley (Organized Women’s Association of Biolley) (ASOMOBI), Costa Rica; and Sunalini Menon, Founder, Coffeelab Private Ltd., India.

World Chapter Day, 2010 Guatemala

Presentation and trainings included Finding and Funding Grant Requests, The Aromatics of Coffee, and Women's Leadership and Self-Esteem. Between sessions a networking lunch was provided and more than 100 women were able to participate in this full day of learning.
 

 

 

 

 

Promoting Gender Equality in Uganda
From November 18-20, 2009, the IWCA presented “Promoting Possibilities: Promoting Gender Equality in a Global Economy” in conjunction with the East African Fine Coffee Association (EAFCA), the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) and the International Trade Centre in Kampala, Uganda, Africa.

A small group of select participants represented a broad scope of women leaders engaged in different aspects of coffee from 10 EAFCA countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania ) In addition participants from Liberia and Cameroun attended.

National Coffee Association Annual Conventions

Since 2009, the IWCA has coordinated at a fund-raising luncheon at the National Coffee Association (NCA) annual convention. In 2010, the luncheon featured Michael Gavina of Gavina Gourmet Coffee and in 2009 the speaker was David M. Neumann of Neumann Café Gruppe.

 

 

 

In addition, representatives from IWCA have presented at many other conferences. Check Calendar of Events for more information.

2009 Grants Awarded

Six organizations in origin countries were awarded a total of $20,000 in IWCA grants in April 2009. 

  • Café Feminino Foundation – Over 200 women coffee producers were taught the nutritional value of by local foods and prepared a locally produced lunch for their families.

  • Alanzia de Mujeres en Café (IWCA Costa Rica chapter) – The chapter developed and marketed a coffee brand to support the Hogar Madre del Redentor home for girls. 

  • AUGE (Mexico)-- More than 100 women received computer literacy training aimed at increasing their job skills, understanding of their children’s computer use, and communicating with husbands who work outside their community.

  • Union de Cooperatives Tierra Nueva (Nicaragua) – A lab that provides reasonably priced, non-chemical pest control for local farmers was constructed resulting in jobs for 12 women.

  • Coffee Kids Guatemala – As a result of business skill workshops for women presented by the Association for Sustainable Development of the Paraxaj (ADESPA), women working in the bakery project increased their output from 40-70 to over 100 pounds per day. Women employed by the handicraft project improved product quality and increased its profits by more than 25% over six months.

  • Cup for Education- Los Conjetos Schoolhouse project

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