Let's Make Micro-Finance, Macro-Accessible
In 2016, the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung Foundation (HRNS) presented the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA) with a Microfinance Training Manual, supported by Earth’s Choice Women of Coffee Microfinance. Written by María Elisa Ruiz, Beatriz Fischersworring, Lucita Mendoza, and Verena Fischersworring, this manual incorporates information, methodologies, and best practices. Earth’s Choice Women of Coffee Microfinance President, Karen Cebreros and Executive Director, Roberta-Lauretti Bernhard, created the “Earth's Choice Learning Loan” program to provide access to affordable loans. The program utilizes the manual to empower women and to learn crucial loan management and business skills.
As captured in the recent ICO Report, Gender Equality in the Coffee Sector, women coffee producers are among the most vulnerable in the coffee value chain, especially given that they have the lowest access to finance. As a result, they often have fewer resources and limited ability to invest in their own farms.
Access to Available Resources
The IWCA - together with HRNS and Earth’s Choice - are on a mission to change this. The Microfinance Manual provides a unique, accessible, and hands-on approach on how to improve women’s access to credit and share the skills and knowledge on managing funds efficiently and effectively. We want to make sure that all members and beneficiaries of the IWCA have access to this manual. But to do this, we need your help.
Training Session co-hosted by IWCA El Salvador Chapter
Currently, this manual is available in Spanish. As of this writing, IWCA Chapters are present in 22 countries, representing an estimated 800+ members and thousands of beneficiaries. Whereas nine of IWCA’s 22 Chapters are Spanish speaking, the remaining 13 communicate in English, French, and Portuguese.
Small Donation, Big Impact
With your support of $25 or more, we can raise the estimated $10,000 needed to translate the microfinance manual into English, French, and Portuguese and make the possibilities of micro-finance accessible across the globe.
To make a donation, please visit the IWCA Online Donation Portal, and select the “Microfinance Manual Translation” from the dropdown menu. If you would like to receive a copy of the Spanish Manual, please simply indicate this in a note when you make your donation.
About the Manual
The Microfinance Management Training Manual promotes the economic and social empowerment of women by developing entrepreneurial, business, and administration skills to help women more effectively and efficiently manage their own microcredits and realize their business goals. Training focuses on women entrepreneurs who work individually, with a family business, or as part of associations.
The proposed training methodology uses a “learning loan” model, created for women entrepreneurs who do not have sufficient loan access, guarantees, or experience in successfully managing loans. Training is participatory, practical, and accessible for women with all levels of education: using real life experiences from participants, lessons are learned and good business management practices are drawn out.
Training Manual Objectives
• Promote mechanisms to improve access to microcredits as part of a solidarity economy
• Introduce the fundamentals on establishing a successful enterprise
• Familiarize women with the basic principles of a loan, including costs and price setting
• Improve management and administration of microfinances by women entrepreneurs, supporting better income generation to ultimately improve family and community welfare.
Starbucks Reserve Baristas Connect with IWCA
Written by Kaitlin Higgins, IWCA Research Alliance Volunteer
Starbucks recently introduced its newest venture touting increased quality and “the rarest, most extraordinary coffees Starbucks has to offer” through its Reserve roasteries and coffee bars. At the Starbucks Reserve bar in Wrigleyville (Chicago), Ill., baristas have taken a special interest in learning more about where their favorite coffee comes from.
According to Shawn Gancarz, the store’s manager, the team of baristas have done significant research on the important roles that women play in the production of coffee. Their internet searches brought them to the website of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance (IWCA), and the Research Alliance page specifically, so Shawn got in touch with IWCA Global Board member and Research Alliance chair Ruth Ann Church. As president of Artisan Coffee Imports, Church happened to know that Starbucks Reserve serves a Rwandan coffee from the Abakundekawa Cooperative in the Gakenke region, and that cooperative is represented by Misozi Coffee, the same marketing group from which Artisan sources Rwandan women-grown coffee. Thanks to Gancarz’s email to Church in support of his baristas’ thirst for knowledge, the Starbucks Reserve staff got more than they expected in terms of connection with producers, stories to tell about coffee, women in coffee, and the challenges faced by farmers in Rwanda.
While in Kigali at the end of August, Church hosted a Skype discussion between some of the staff of the Wrigleyville Reserve Bar and Kevin Nkunzimana, Managing Director of Misozi Coffee, who represents Abakundekawa and other cooperatives, including the cooperative from which Artisan sources.
Out of their curiosity came new perspectives for the Starbucks staff to consider, from climate change to the economics of coffee. During the trans-Atlantic call, Gancarz, along with Ash Kolodziej (education, leadership, and training) and baristas Kate, Brian, and Tray, learned from Kevin that unexpected rainfall or droughts caused by climate change are a major challenge, as is engaging young people in coffee farming and finding ways to make it a marketable and desirable career.
Just about a month after this initial connection, on Sept. 24, Church and three of her IWCA Global Board colleagues visited the Wrigleyville store in person, thanks to serendipitous timing with their in-person board meeting taking place in Chicago. During a 9 PM tasting of Starbucks’ decaffeinated Costa Rican roast, Church, along with IWCA president Kellem Emanuele, co-Vice President and Treasurer Sharon Riechers, and chapter relations board member Maria Elena Botto, finally met Gancarz in person, and spoke with shift supervisor Carina and barista Alex, and several others.
Expanding on some of the information Nkunzimana had previously divulged, Maria Botto, who is also the President of the IWCA El Salvador Chapter, explained some of the challenges that she faces as a coffee producer in El Salvador. She explained how the “roya” or coffee leaf rust, is a pest that gets into the roots of the coffee trees, causing all the leaves to fall. Her farm was devastated in 2012 and left with only 10% of their pre-roya production level. Now, six years later, they are back to 25% of their earlier production levels. “The road to recovery is hard and long,” was basically Botto’s message.
Carina and Alex expressed that the opportunity to share with IWCA leaders and volunteers was particularly inspiring for them because of their educational background in women’s studies. Between their dedication to empowering coffee producers--particularly women--and the knowledge that has come from their own research and new connections, the Starbucks staff is energized to continue collaborating, and already have a few ideas brewing.
Nkunzimana had told the staff on the Skype call about Hingekawa, a group of women within the Abakundekawa cooperative, and given the success of the Abakundekawa coffee at Starbucks, there may be opportunity to encourage Starbucks buyers to support these women coffee producers in Rwanda, as well. Gancarz also suggested that he would like to see if there is interest at the Starbucks headquarters in Chicago to host another Skype call with producers at origin, this time including more staff at various levels.
Hoping to leverage the time and interest they have already invested in understanding and supporting women in coffee, some of the Wrigleyville staff see volunteering with IWCA as a natural next step. The baristas noted that, to involve more cafe staff and consumers, they could consider hosting a latte art throw down in support of IWCA, considering how popular those events are for Starbucks Reserve bars across the country.
If nothing else, this small but continuing encounter is a beautiful demonstration that baristas really do care about people and sharing the story behind the taste. Emanuele, Riechers, Botto and Church can attest to the amazing care they put into brewing their Costa Rica Hacienda Alsacia coffee using two different brew methods, and pairing it with fresh orange slices.
To use the baristas’ words, they will continue to “translate the work that IWCA does with female producers into a story that can be shared with consumers.”
As Mr. Nkunzimana had emphasized to the staff on that first Skype call with Rwanda, “you are our ambassadors. Thank you!”
Anapaula Pérez Castillo: Woman of Coffee Excellence
Interview by Monserrat Abad, Coffee Trader and IWCA Volunteer
Among all the chaos and sadness the explosion of El Volcán de Fuego caused, the 14th Guatemala Cup of Excellence International Auction was carried out in June 7, 2018 to bring some light and happiness to the coffee producers in the country.
Down to 34 samples above 86 points selected to participate in the auction and scored by 13 international cuppers who served as judges, the farm La Reforma y Anexos won the first place. Scoring 90.73 made it worthy of ‘The presidential award’. This lot comes from the Huehuetenango region, where the farm of around 74 hectares is located and a region well known for the beautiful coffees produced. This 15 quintals parchment lot was carefully selected from the coffee trees and processed in order to release the full potential resulting in a complex, juicy, sweet, and bright cup, offering fruity (stone fruit, apricot, melon, orange) and floral (jasmin) Aromas and flavors, rounding it with a silky, creamy, long lasting after taste…Sounds like I want to taste that coffee now!!
Anapaula Pérez Castillo, a member of IWCA Guatemala (Mujeres en Café Guatemala) has a lot to do with this winning lot. She has been working on her father’s farm pursuing excellence.
Anapaula is the fifth generation of coffee growers in her family. Her great grandfather, Mr. Manuel Pérez was the one who acquired the farm “La Reforma y el Anexo” back in 1904. At that time, this farm use to be dedicated to tobacco, corn and bean production, until 1930 when production was switched to coffee, that was picked, processed and carried for days in mules, to Huehuetenango to be sold (nowadays Huehuetenango is just 3 hours away). They did not come back to the farm until the coffee was sold.
Since that time, coffee has been the main product at the farm, involving in its production to the whole family. Currently, Anapaula’s father is the owner of the farm, but she, her mother, husband and brother are deeply involved in the day to day activities at the farm, participating and helping in different areas of the business.
Anapaula has a college degree in Food Engineering. After college she decided to work in the industry, so she could get experience and practice what she had studied, but it was in 2016 when she decided to go back to the family business: coffee production.
M: Tell us about this lot.
Anapaula: This lot is a Washed Process Gesha. Four years ago, the seeds were given to us, before that we did not know the variety. We can say that from that moment we start exploring and working into the so-called “specialty coffee segment” which also led us two years ago to start cupping and knowing our coffee better, with the help and guidance of other family members who also are coffee people. This allowed us to realize that our coffee was really good and has potential to be sold in the international markets. It was this way in 2017, when we sold 3 quintals of a great coffee at $22 USD/Pound. This was the moment when we saw an opportunity to participate in the Guatemala National Cup of Excellence.
We believe, no, we are sure, that coffee quality comes from the tree, so we are very focused on providing our plantations with all the nutrition and care needed. We take particular care also during the cherry picking: the pickers were clearly instructed to pick only red ripe cherry for this special lot to be delivered for processing.
The manager of the farm was always very very vigilant of the wet process before continuing to one of the critical stages, the drying, that was carefully performed at a temperature not higher than 40 degrees ideally for a slow, homogeneous drying of the parchment. Finally, we cupped the lot before enrolling it into the competition. A very strict quality control was carried out.
M: What was so special about it?
Anapaula: As you see, nothing about this lot was a fortuity. From the very beginning, we worked hard to make it a winning lot for Cup of Excellence. Honestly, we were not expecting the first place, we wanted to be among the top lots, that would be significant for us, so when it actually got the first place it was a great surprise and we are very happy!
M: What does coffee make you feel?
Anapaula: Besides being a legacy and a heritage passed from generations, it is our livelihood. It has provided us the economic resources not only for the basic needs, but also to have an education and a better life. Every time I get more involved in coffee, I fall in love even more with it.
I love all the different steps it goes through to get the final product. It is a rewarding work, and the farm is located in a region with spectacular weather and ideal soil to grow quality coffee, so we expect to continue producing it for many years.
M: What would you tell to the new generations in coffee?
Anapaula: Like my father says: “We are standing on a diamond that we haven’t taken advantage of. Guate has Spectacular coffees!!!” And because of that I tell all the generations, not only youth, but to all, get into coffee, get your children involved in coffee, the more you get to be in touch with the steps and stages of the coffee production and they participate in them, they will fall in love with coffee.
The coffee world has changed so much that now there is opportunity for all, it is not limited anymore for the producer’s children to stay only “at the fields”. There is a need of different types of “knowledge” we can apply along the chain, you have the harvest, the processing, the commercialization, quality control, chemistry, cupping, a lot of science can be applied in the coffee business… There is plenty of room, it is so wide, that we need to change the idea coffee has only to do with the agricultural part.
M: As women in coffee, what would you say to the other women in coffee out there?
Anapaula: It is true that coffee is still strongly led by men, however, every time a woman gets involved in anything (activity, job, company…) it is a plus, as we start participating and contributing more actively everywhere.
Personally, I have witnessed men recognizing the value of women’s work and that in some cases we can even perform better at some activities, and not because we are “better” per se, but whatever we propose and commit to we are very capable of doing it. And I really believe there are certain activities we can do pretty well, for example cupping…. brewing, like the recent US barista champion, a woman! The first one!
It is naturally in us, we can make coffee great!
M: What are the plans for Anapaula and for the farm?
Anapula: Keep working hard, of course. I want us (my family) to implement improvements at the farm such as ferti-riego, new varieties, more quality controls, better processes and yields, all these in order to produce better quality, so our coffee can have soon access to international markets. Our challenge is to maintain or improve our quality, which also will allows us to continue participating in Cup of excellence.
Congratulations, Anapaula, to you and your family for accomplishments!
To reach Anapaula, and other women leading excellence in Guatemala, please visit IWCA Guatemala’s website: https://www.mujerescafeguatemala.org/.
IWCA Chapter Member Coffees Now Available
Strong Women = Strong Coffee. Economic strength includes market visibility. To support the market visibility of IWCA Chapter members' coffees, the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA) collects and publishes a list of coffees available from IWCA Chapter members. In July 2018, this list includes 26 coffees submitted by 21 IWCA Chapter members from 9 countries.
We anticipate publishing a new IWCA Chapter Member Coffee Availability list in November 2018 and again in February 2019, and as new information becomes available. For questions about the IWCA Chapter Members Coffee Availability List, please contact Ms. Blanca Castro, IWCA Chapter Manager. For inquiries about specific coffees, please contact the IWCA Chapter member listed with that coffee.
Click here to access the most recent list of coffees available from IWCA Chapter Members.
IWCA Uganda Chapter Sets a Transformative Agenda
New IWCA Uganda Chapter Board Tables Transformative Agenda for Women Involvement in Coffee Value Chains
Kampala, 28 June 2018—For the Uganda Chapter of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance, the year 2018 has seen, and continues to see, numerous transitions and transformations—all towards empowering women in the coffee sector to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives, and encouraging and recognizing their participation in coffee value chain in Uganda.
During the Stakeholders Meeting and General Assembly that was held on Friday 1st June 2018 at Hotel Africa in Kampala, Uganda, the IWCA Uganda elected a new nine-member Board of Governors, comprising eight women and one man. Chaired by former Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Victoria Sekitooleko, the new board comprises renowned personalities with a range of experience and expertise in the different coffee value chains. who have individually, over the years participated in several activities within the coffee value chain in and out of Uganda.
The Chapter has tabled and maintains an ambitious to-to list, prioritizing lobbying and advocacy for women to stimulate meaningful, sustainable and women-led economic growth in Uganda’s coffee sector as well as to unrestricted participation of women throughout the coffee value chain in Uganda and beyond.
The membership of the IWCA Uganda Chapter did not only unanimously resolve to adapt the IWCA global mission of ‘empowering women in the international coffee community to achieve meaningful and sustainable lives; and to encourage and recognize the participation of women in all aspects of the coffee industry’, but also resolved adopt the core values.
A key milestone reached was the review and adaption of the Chapter Constitutional. This is a strategically important milestone for the IWCA Uganda Chapter as it paves way for the long-awaited strategic guidance for the review and implementation of the Chapter’s five-year Strategic Plan, toward a shared mission for women in the coffee value chain.
“We would like to convey our sincere gratitude and special appreciation to all of our valued partners for the invaluable support and relationships that the IWCA Uganda Chapter continues to enjoy”, said Hon. Dr. Victoria Sekitooleko, the incoming President of the Chapter.
The IWCA Uganda Chapter was formed in 2010 and attained its legal status in 2012. Despite structural and socio-cultural impediments to women access to essential factors of production (including land, labor and loans and credit), women representation and capacity development do present significant challenges for active and meaningful involvement of women in the coffee value chains. The women want to be recognized for their participation and they feel they can contribute a lot to the coffee agenda.
In creating a shared value, the Chapter, under the stewardship of the new board is embracing a a theory of change, qualitatively describing the priority interventions essential to achieve the Chapter’s objectives over the next five years.