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.

IWCA Germany members gathered in Hamburg for strategic planning, combining focused discussion with connection-building in one of Europe's historic coffee trading cities—demonstrating how women coffee professionals create infrastructure for gender equity in coffee.

IWCA Vietnam members visit Wecacha Coffee & Tea, where women coffee farmers find their work celebrated through specialty drinks made from Son La Arabica—a shop that understands coffee starts in the highlands.

IWCA Philippines and Commune delivered new coffee drying tables to Benguet, strengthening post-harvest readiness and supporting quality improvement ahead of the upcoming harvest season.

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 Greece hosted Colombian author Carlos Ospina and journalist Vasileia Fanarioti for conversation connecting Colombian coffee producers' stories to Greek coffee culture, while presenting preliminary research findings on women in Greek coffee industry.

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.

At World of Coffee 2025 in Geneva, IWCA Germany members signed the Memorandum of Understanding with IWCA Global, becoming the official German chapter and joining a global network working toward gender equity in coffee across 36 countries.

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 Vietnam and ABROADER hosted Princeton and Northwestern University students for a cultural coffee exchange at Konnai Coffee Shop, where Vietnamese coffee history met hands-on brewing and stories from women farmers.

IWCA Vietnam partners with IWCA Global at World of Coffee Geneva, bringing women coffee farmers' stories to an international stage where connections and collaboration can reshape the industry's future.

Across five stops in Brazil’s Minas Gerais region, a journey through women-led coffee production revealed the depth of resilience, innovation, and care shaping the future of coffee. From experimental fermentations to soil science, manual harvesting, and award-winning lots, each woman shared a powerful story of courage, legacy, and leadership at origin.

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.

Hạt A Café, an IWCA Vietnam member, showcases innovative Vietnamese coffee products at Vietnam Coffee Challenge 2025, demonstrating how women in coffee transform traditional products for contemporary markets.

An evening of coffee and storytelling in Athens brought together Colombian author Carlos Ospina and IWCA Greece member Vasileia Fanarioti to explore stories of coffee producers, women, memory, and culture. Through literature, conversation, and new research from IWCA Greece, the event highlighted the power of narrative to connect experiences across borders and amplify women’s voices worldwide.

IWCA Vietnam and member partners brought "Elevating the Value of Vietnamese Coffee" to Vietnam Coffee Challenge 2025, demonstrating how women smallholder coffee farmers drive sustainable development across the coffee value chain.

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.