Established in 2008, the mission of the Guatemala chapter of the IWCA, Women in Coffee Guatemala or Mujeres en Café de Guatemala (MCG), is to empower women leaders in the Guatemalan coffee industry.

 

MCG gives women vital tools so they can become competitive at the national and international level, providing them, their children and their communities with a sustainable livelihood.

 

Our mission is based in achieving women’s leadership and participation through voting in forums and groups of coffee producers as well as in other aspects of coffee production. Guatemalans should drink the same quality coffee that they produce and MCG wants to achieve this by elevating the production and internal consumption of quality coffee.

 

MCG creates alliances that will increase sales and improve coffee prices, enriching women’s lives and providing them with more options.

 

IWCA gathers women involved in the coffee industry internationally, helping them produce quality coffee with a great demand; a reason to differentiate their daily job activities. The alliance between MCG and IWCA is essential and in IWCA we find wonderful women, committed and passionate about coffee.

 

MCG aims to be internationally recognized as an association which generates opportunities and improves the lives of women and their families involved in every aspect of Guatemalan coffee.

Strengths:
- Well-established goals
- Well-defined stakeholders
- Board represents all the coffee value chain 
- Alliance with Anacafé - National Coffee Association (administrative, legal, logistics and office space)
- Established annual fees for members
- Defined partnership fees
- Strong, innovative Board of Directors

Monthly Activities and Ongoing Projects:
- Talks, workshops, and trainings about farm administration skills
- Personal development programs
- Field trips, agronomical courses
- Participation of Anacafé´s full program of activities

 

Opportunities and Potential Projects:
- Achieve larger membership
- Establish strategic alliances in all coffee regions
- Establish international long-term Partnerships

Long-Term Goals:
- Competitiveness - To promote knowledge sharing and personal development among its members as the way to improve product quality and commercial opportunities.
- Sustainability - To position and promote associate members’ coffee in the national and international market as a means to access improved business opportunities.
 

Short-Term Goals:
- Participation - To recognize, support and encourage women to participate in all aspects of the coffee industry.
- Tools - To give women the necessary tools to develop into models of competitiveness at the local and international level.
- Alliances - To empower women in coffee to forge alliances among the entire coffee chain (from seed to cup) as a means to improve their quality of life.

 

Important Dates:
Created                           August 2006
Legal Structure                October 2008
Signed IWCA MOU          2008
Current Board Elected      March 2012

Board of Directors:
President                Karen Bonifasi, President (Producer)
Vice-President         Paola Gudiel (Retail)
Secretary                Dulce Ralda (Producer)
Treasurer                Esther Eskenasy (Producer)
Vocal                      Maria Elena Vides de Ovalle (Producer)
Vocal                      Johanna Timeus (Retail)

                              Tessa Fitzpatrick (Producer)

                              Caroline Godoy (Roaster)
                              Jovita Castillo (Producer)

Contact information: 
Gabriela Gómez - Gabriela.LGD@anacafe.org
Tel. (+502) 2311 1900, ext. 1009
www.mujerescafeguatemala.org