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Current Chapter Projects

Empowering Women in Coffee: A Showcase of Global Initiatives 2024/2025 Global Chapter Projects

Explore the Inspiring Projects Led by IWCA Chapters Worldwide

The IWCA is a vibrant network of independent organizations, called IWCA Chapters, in 35 countries, united by the shared mission to empower women across the global coffee industry.

Welcome to our vibrant collection of initiatives, where each IWCA chapter brings unique contributions to the forefront of the coffee industry. From enhancing sustainable practices to boosting economic opportunities for women, these projects reflect our collective commitment to fostering impactful change. Join us in supporting these endeavors, each a testament to the power of dedicated women making a significant difference in their communities and beyond.

Consuming & Producing Countries

IWCA Australia

IWCAA Regional Community Engagement

The IWCA Australia Regional Community Engagement Project aims to foster a strong community network within regional Australia by collaborating with local businesses, coffee industry workers, and community groups to address regional challenges and promote IWCA's global mission.

  • Funding Requested: $23,000 USD

  • Total Project Budget: $23,000 USD

IWCA Burundi

Agro-Ecology Promotion Project Among the ICCOO Cooperative Coffee Farmers of the Kirundo Community

This project aims to promote agro-ecological practices among ICCOO cooperative coffee farmers in Kirundo, focusing on enhancing organic coffee production, intercropping, and environmental conservation. The initiative will include training in organic farming, waste recycling, and small livestock breeding to diversify income sources and improve food security.

  • Funding Requested: $45,028 USD (Donor Contribution)

  • Total Project Budget: $64,326 USD

  • Funding Already Secured: $19,298 USD (Beneficiary Contribution)

IWCA Camaroon

AGROLAB for Koutie Koutaba Community

AGROLAB, initiated by COOPAGRO, aims to create a training and analysis center dedicated to coffee, serving producers, researchers, and stakeholders in the coffee industry. The project focuses on improving coffee quality through precision agriculture techniques, detailed analysis, and knowledge exchange. AGROLAB will include a mini-laboratory to assess coffee quality from harvest through roasting and provide training to coffee growers on best agricultural practices.

  • Funding Requested: $30,413 USD

  • Total Project Budget: $30,413 USD

IWCA Costa Rica

Portable Cupping Labs

The Portable Cupping Labs project aims to establish four portable cupping and roasting labs in Costa Rica’s main coffee regions. These labs will empower IWCA Costa Rica Chapter members and other women in the community by providing tools and training in coffee cupping and roasting, improving quality control, and generating income for the chapter.

  • Total Project Budget: $12,000 USD

  • Funding Required: $12,000 USD

IWCA Greece

Market Research on the Position of Women in the Greek Coffee Industry

The IWCA Greece chapter seeks to partner with a reputable market research firm to gather and analyze comprehensive data on the roles and status of women within the Greek coffee industry. This study aims to explore demographics, employment roles, wages, and leadership positions held by women, providing critical insights for targeted chapter initiatives. The findings will support the chapter’s efforts to empower women and advocate for equality and improved conditions within the industry.

  • Funding Requested: €6,500 + VAT (24%)

  • Total Project Budget: €6,500 + VAT (24%)

IWCA Guatemala

Project 1: Voices of Women in Coffee

Voices of Women in Coffee is a transformative initiative aimed at empowering female coffee producers in Guatemala by connecting them with the global community, providing comprehensive training, and establishing mentorship and marketing programs to enhance visibility and impact.

  • Total Project Budget: $20,000 USD

  • Funding Required: $20,000 USD

IWCA India

NAYAN TARA

The NAYAN TARA project aims to provide educational support to the daughters of women coffee plantation workers in India’s coffee-growing regions, particularly in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. By sponsoring the education of girl children from economically deprived backgrounds, the project seeks to empower these young women and uplift the communities they belong to. Each year, additional children are sponsored, allowing more girls to access education that can change their lives.

  • Funding Requested: $7,000 USD

IWCA Guatemala

Project 2: Grafting Women's Competition

The Grafting Women's Competition project aims to support rural women in Guatemala by providing opportunities, workshops, marketing, promotion, and operational support. The project addresses climate change, enhances skills, increases market opportunities, and strengthens leadership within coffee farms through regional and national grafting competitions.

  • Total Project Budget: $6,000 USD

  • Funding Required: $6,000 USD

  • Funding Already Secured: $1,000 USD

IWCA Jamaica

Project 1: Assessing the Gender Gap in Jamaica’s Coffee Industry

This project, implemented in two components, aims to assess and address the gender gap in Jamaica’s coffee industry by collecting empirical data to better understand the roles, experiences, and challenges of women coffee farmers. The initiative will develop actionable recommendations and empowerment programs to promote gender equity.

  • Project Start and End Date:

    • Component 1: Qualitative Study (January 2025 - September 2025)

    • Component 2: Quantitative Study (October 2025 - April 2026)

  • Funding Requested: $100,000 USD over two phases

  • Total Project Budget: $100,000 USD

    • Component 1: $50,000

    • Component 2: $50,000

IWCA Jamaica

Project 2: Brewed Knowledge:

Training Women Coffee Professionals for Delivery of Transformative Education in the Jamaican Coffee Value Chain

Brewed Knowledge is a pioneering initiative aimed at breaking down gender barriers within the Jamaican coffee industry by empowering women, youth, and professionals in the coffee value chain. The project provides comprehensive training in roasting, quality analysis, and barista techniques, with a focus on creating a more inclusive and equitable coffee sector.

  • Total Project Budget: $50,000 USD

  • Funding Required: $50,000 USD

IWCA Mexico

Mujeres Cafetaleras en Acción / Women in Coffee in Action

This project aims to support the socioeconomic and sustainable development of women in the Mexican coffee sector. Through interventions that target root causes of gender disparity, the project focuses on improving commercialization access, enhancing entrepreneurial skills, and strengthening community leadership. This multi-faceted approach empowers IWCA Mexico members by creating opportunities and driving long-term growth within their communities.

  • Funding Requested: $33,000 USD

  • Total Project Budget: $43,000 USD

  • Funding Already Secured: $10,000 USD

IWCA Philippines

Women Power Through Solar Power

The Women Power Through Solar Power project aims to establish multi-crop solar dryers (MCSD) in the coffee-growing communities of Atok, Benguet, and Bansalan, Davao del Sur. The MCSD is a simple, low-cost solar drying technology designed to improve drying efficiency for coffee and other farm products, even during the rainy season. The project will benefit approximately 100 coffee producers, with a focus on empowering women coffee producers by providing sustainable and efficient drying solutions.

  • Funding Requested: $7,000 USD

  • Total Project Budget: $14,500 USD

  • Funding Already Secured: $2,000 USD

IWCA South Korea

IWCA Cupping Project

The IWCA Cupping project aims to bridge the gap between coffee consumers and producers by hosting cupping sessions that promote coffees produced by IWCA women to the Korean market. Due to financial constraints, many producer countries have been unable to send coffee samples to South Korea, limiting their participation. This project seeks funding to cover customs fees, enabling broader participation from IWCA women producers and enhancing the market reach of their coffees.

  • Funding Requested: US$450 (for 3 sessions per year)

  • Total Project Budget: US$450

IWCA South Korea

IWCA International Summit

The IWCA International Summit is an annual event held during the Seoul Cafe Show in Korea each November. The summit aims to strengthen relationships between IWCA chapter members, providing an opportunity for members to connect, share insights, and participate in industry-relevant presentations. The summit includes a cupping session where IWCA chapter members can present their coffees, promoting IWCA woman-produced coffees to the Korean market and fostering direct feedback between producers and consumers. It is also a key event for promoting IWCA Korea's activities, recruiting new members, and expanding the community's engagement.

  • Funding Requested: US$2,500

  • Total Project Budget: US$2,500

IWCA Spain

Project 1: Weaving Equity

Research on the Coffee Industry in Spain from a Gender Perspective: Mapping the Reality of Women in Coffee

This project aims to conduct comprehensive research to map and analyze the positions, roles, and challenges of women in the Spanish coffee industry, a consuming country where data is scarce. By gathering both quantitative and qualitative information, the study will identify the barriers faced by women and provide a clearer picture of the value chain. The insights gained will enable the Spanish chapter to develop targeted strategies to support and enhance the visibility of women in the coffee industry.

  • Funding Requested: $2,500 USD

  • Total Project Budget: $3,000 USD

  • Funding Already Secured: $500 USD

IWCA Spain

Project 2: Mapping Career Development Opportunities in the Coffee Industry

A Comprehensive Study in Spain

The project aims to conduct an in-depth study to map and document the various career paths, opportunities, and developmental prospects within the Spanish coffee industry. By consolidating data from diverse sources, this study seeks to provide a clear overview of the industry’s career landscape, especially focusing on empowering women and increasing their presence in roles where they are currently underrepresented. The study will identify career paths, required skills, educational and training opportunities, and potential growth areas, offering valuable insights for current professionals and aspiring entrants.

  • Funding Requested: €33,000

  • Total Project Budget: €44,000

  • Funding Already Secured: €11,000

IWCA Venezuela

Empowering Venezuelan coffee farmers for climate resilience and deforestation-free practices in Venezuela

This project aims to empower women coffee farmers in Venezuela's key coffee-growing states by providing training on climate change adaptation, sustainable agricultural practices, and compliance with the European Union's Deforestation-Free Products Regulation. The initiative will enhance the farmers' ability to access European markets, promote gender equality, and improve farm management through the use of GPS for traceability.

  • Funding Requested: $25,000 USD

  • Total Project Budget: $30,000 USD

  • Funding Already Secured: $5,000 USD

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