The first IWCA Access & Training Grant supports IWCA Spain’s Espréssate champion, Monserrat Cornet, in advancing to the SCA Spain National Barista Championship—removing financial barriers and expanding opportunities for women in coffee.

The US Chapter of IWCA is mobilizing support for our Jamaica Chapter after Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage to farms and community infrastructure. This post shares how the global IWCA network is working together to provide direct recovery funding, why this support matters, and how you can contribute to help women producers rebuild.

Severe floods and landslides in Aceh, Indonesia have damaged roads, cut power, and isolated many coffee-farming villages supported by IWCA. The IWCA Indonesia Chapter, working with the Ketiara Cooperative, is leading local disaster relief by restoring communication, delivering generators and fuel, and providing food to affected families. IWCA Global has launched a fundraiser to directly support recovery efforts in 25 impacted villages. All donations go straight to the Ketiara Cooperative to help coffee-farming communities rebuild after the disaster.

Angelique’s Finest, a Rwandan women-led coffee cooperative, won the Fair Cups Audience Award at Berlin Coffee Week 2025 — celebrating fair trade, quality, and women’s empowerment in every cup.

On International Day of the Girl Child, IWCA Uganda celebrates the launch of the EYE‑C program with Mastercard Foundation to empower 300,000 young women in coffee. A milestone for gender equity in Uganda’s coffee value chain.

IWCA Cameroon President Patricia Tumain stands as a candidate in Cameroon’s national elections. We celebrate her leadership, courage, and the global power of women in coffee to inspire and transform communities.

IWCA El Salvador leaders were honored on El Salvador’s Día de la Caficultura for their contributions to the coffee industry. María Elena Botto received special recognition from the Instituto Salvadoreño del Café for her leadership and dedication to empowering women in coffee.

On International Day of the Girl Child, IWCA honors girls in coffee communities worldwide. Learn how our 36 chapters are supporting the next generation through leadership, education, and empowerment. When girls rise, we all rise.

Celebrate 20 years of IWCA Costa Rica at SINTERCAFÉ 2025! Join the Women in Coffee Breakfast on November 14 featuring keynote speaker Susie Spindler, a silent auction of women-made goods, and a morning of connection and inspiration. Tickets are $60. Email info@sintercafe.com to reserve your spot.

Today at the Congreso EUDR & Data 2025 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Blanca Castro presented on behalf of IWCA Global.

Blanca shared how our network of 36 chapters is advancing equity and inclusion in coffee, ensuring women’s leadership is recognized in the critical conversations around data governance, traceability, and compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

IWCA Global highlights a women-led gathering organized by IWCA Kenya as part of the Caffè Corretto Project. The event brought together partners and women leaders to discuss market access, local value addition, and the role of women and youth in shaping a more inclusive future for Kenyan coffee.

IWCA proudly participated in the XXVI Latin American Coffee Symposium, hosted by PROMECAFE and ISC in El Salvador. Blanca Castro, IWCA Global Executive Director, spoke on a panel highlighting the critical role of women in building inclusive, sustainable coffee value chains. The event gathered industry leaders, producers, and organizations from across the region to discuss innovation, resilience, and the future of Latin American coffee.

Thanks to Caribou Coffee’s 2025 Amy’s Blend campaign, IWCA received a $40,472 donation to support women in coffee. This powerful partnership is helping fund chapter-led projects in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Kenya—advancing gender equity across the coffee value chain.

Daniella María Boza Carbonell of IWCA El Salvador is one of only four professionals worldwide to pass the first-ever Specialty Coffee Association Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) Q Grader training. As a trailblazing woman in coffee and proud IWCA member, her achievement marks a historic milestone—advancing recognition, representation, and excellence across the global coffee value chain.

IWCA Kenya joined UNIDO and FAO’s forum on building an inclusive, sustainable coffee sector—amplifying women’s and youth voices across the value chain.

Blanca Castro Named One of Central America’s Most Powerful Women by Forbes

We are proud to share that IWCA Executive Director Blanca María Castro Gutiérrez was recently named to the Forbes Centroamérica 2025 list of Most Powerful Women and featured in El Economista for her leadership advancing equity in the coffee sector.

Read the full announcement.

A powerful symbol of resilience, collaboration, and women’s empowerment in coffee is now on display at the University of Maryland. Threads of Empowerment, a quilt created by renowned fiber artist Aisha Lumumba using fabric contributions from International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) members around the world, has found a new home in the STAMP Leadership & Community Service-Learning Office. Thanks to the generosity of UMD alum and longtime IWCA supporter Margaret Swallow, this meaningful piece of art will inspire students, faculty, and visitors with the stories of women coffee producers and the global movement behind their success. The quilt was originally created and auctioned as part of IWCA’s global fundraising initiatives. Now, it continues to serve as a visual reminder of what’s possible when women in coffee—and their communities—are supported and celebrated.

IWCA Kenya participated at World of Coffee Geneva 2025, where chapter members connected with global leaders, explored innovation and sustainability, and strengthened international collaboration across the coffee sector.

IWCA Kenya participated in the Journey to Inclusive and Sustainable Kenyan Coffee forum organized by UNIDO and FAO, highlighting the essential role of women and youth in building resilient, community-led coffee value chains.

In this powerful video from the IWCA Jamaica Chapter, women coffee producers share their stories of perseverance, passion, and pride in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Through their voices, we hear how access to training, leadership, and a global community has empowered them to grow not just coffee—but opportunity. This storytelling series highlights the real impact of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance and its mission to uplift women throughout the coffee value chain. Watch the full video and learn how investing in women means investing in the future of coffee.