 What is Cafe Femenino?
The mission of the Café Femenino Foundation is to enhance the lives of women and children in coffee producing communities throughout the world. Their goal is to work within the existing socio-economic structure to foster change. By supporting women coffee growers they improve the quality of life of the entire community and build a sustainable economic system.
Women coffee producers make up 30 percent of the 25 million coffee growers that are responsible for producing 75 percent of the world’s coffee. Harsh gender inequality, poverty and abuse are rampant in these coffee production regions. Most women coffee producers have no rights, no income and are abandoned by their husbands. The women farmer participates in all farm activities. They prepare the terrain, nurseries, and the compost. They fertilize the soil and prepare bio-fertilizers, as well as harvesting, de-pulping, fermenting, and drying the coffee. Yet, it is very rare for women to participate in selling the coffee or making decisions on how the money from coffee sales will be used.
In urban areas of Peru the abuse rate is estimated at 41%. Due to the isolation in rural communities, the rate is far higher. With limited resources the coffee family invests its money in the education of the sons. The daughters stay at home, devoted to chores around the house and watching over the farm. They usually marry between the ages of 12 and 16.
The Café Femenino Project started in 2004 when 464 women in Northern Peru had the idea of separating their coffee from the rest of the production. The importer of coffee from the Cafe Femenino project agreed to sell the coffee as Fair Trade, with that price going to the Co-op as in all Fair Trade transactions. An additional two cents per pound above the fair trade price is also paid by the 80 roasters who buy the coffee. These additional funds provide extra income that goes directly to the women producers to decide how to use. These monies have been used to further the education of the women and their children and to improve diet and sanitation. In rural areas where no medical treatment is available, women are being trained to provide treatment.
Today more than 1,500 women in Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru are involved in the Café Femenino Project. They achieve empowerment, build social and support networks, and earn incomes through the production and sale of the Café Femenino coffee.
Café Femenino is a high-quality, organic coffee that is left unblended to preserve the acidity, body, flavor and aroma that are unique to each Café Femenino coffee variety. The HomePage Café is proud to be a supporter of the Café Femenino Project by offering this wonderful coffee as a permanent selection.
For more information about Cafe Femenino, please visit their website or contact the Cafe Femenino Foundation at
Cafe Femenino Foundation
Post Office Box 2187,
Vancouver, WA 98668.
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