We are excited to announce that we are a Silver Sustaining Partner with the IWCA, a global network of organizations united by the mission to achieve sustainable livelihoods through empowering women. Each local organization works independently while leveraging their connection to the IWCA Global Network to amplify their engagement and impact.
Why IWCA?
Because we support women as central players to achieve sustainable livelihoods in coffee communities across the global industry. Photo credit: IWCA Honduras
The IWCA Mission
The mission of the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA) is to empower 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.
IWCA Key Objectives
- Amplified Market Visibility: for coffee producers, importers & exporters, roasters & retailers, academics, quality experts, business & community leaders.
- Strategic Partnership: for sustainability solution partners driving meaningful change across the global coffee industry and local communities.
- Leadership Development: as locally-driven, globally-connected collaborators working together to create shared value and deliver community benefit.
Case Study: Uganda Chapter
The IWCA Uganda Chapter was formed in 2010, making great strides to reduce barriers through awareness creation, training, and working to empower, advance and connect women across the value chain. Photo credit: IWCA Uganda
We are happy to be part of Coffee Kids' Supporters Circle, contributing to a leading youth program from the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung [Foundation] that helps youths learn and develop skills, and create new opportunities for themselves and their communities through small, multi-year group projects. Coffee Kids is currently working closely with 330 youths on community projects in Honduras, Guatemala and Tanzania.
Why Coffee Kids?
"To create and cultivate thriving communities which attract younger generations, educational offers must be developed, coffee cultivation must be made more climate-resilient and economic prospects must be created. These are not only great challenges, but also great opportunities." -Coffee Kids Annual Report 2020
Coffee Kids Core Beliefs
We believe that the future of coffee begins with young farmers, that the creativity and innovative power of young people is integral to finding solutions to the complex challenges of the coffee industry, that coffee can lead to a sustainable livelihood for youth and their families in rural communities, that coffee farming must be a dignified livelihood and that will only be true if we view coffee farmers as entrepreneurs and business associates, and that through partnership and collaboration we can ensure all coffee farmers thrive.
Three Pillars
We combine three key pillars of training, mentorship, and financing for young adults to see coffee farming as a business and see themselves as entrepreneurs
1. Training – life skills, agronomy, and entrepreneurship
2. Mentorship – intergenerational dialogue and skills exchange
3. Financing – either establishing revolving funds (microlending) or enabling youth to apply for local sources of funding
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