Tag: International Women’s Day

Beans of Change: “ROR Coffee Solutions” Celebrates International Women’s Day with Rwandan Farmers

Posted on by Qahwa World

ROR Coffee Solutions, a locally owned coffee business, kicked off a groovy caffeinated event for International Women’s Day, on Friday, 8th March. The platform was used to announce the significant partnership between ROR Coffee and a Rwandan’s women’s farm. ROR Coffee celebrated this event by graciously hosting Esther Mukangango, a woman farmer from Nyarguru, Rwanda. This remarkable and resilient woman had the chance to express her enthusiasm of being invited to the UAE and experience ROR coffee’s commitment to ethical and sustainable practices.

Esther Mukangango shared her riveting story, by recounting the inspiring journey of 125 women uniting with a common goal to fight poverty by saving and lending money amongst each other. Together, they formed a union called Nyampinga – which translates to “beautiful women in and out.” The women of Nyampinga are recognized for their remarkably high level of cooperative management skills, due to which they were able to collect substantial capital and purchase coffee farms. Their impactful movement earned them global recognition, which led to support from more than three local and international banks to provide these women farmers with working capital for coffee harvesting and processing. Furthermore, with partnership and assistance from non-profit Sustainable Growers, Nyampinga is able to highlight the visibility of women coffee farmers from seed to cup.

In the past, women like Esther had never tasted nor had access to coffee in Rwanda as it was seen as a man’s drink. Esther inspired the audience by expressing pride in not only being able to own coffee farms, but also being able to now export coffee to the USA, Europe and to the Middle East. Attendees at the event were moved as Esther highlighted the fact that she and several other women farmers are now able to solve their primary needs by sending their children to school, paying for health insurance, and contributing to a pension scheme for the elderly.

On the other hand, Esther was quick to spill the beans as she expressed gratitude upon realizing that their diligent efforts were being supported by ROR Coffee. ROR Coffee revealed that a percentage from every product sold will go back to Esther and the Nyampinga cooperative, contributing to a brighter future for them and their communities.

Moreover, ROR enhanced the event by serving a variety of freshly brewed hot coffee imported directly from Esther’s farm in Rwanda for the attendees. They used their efficient electric roasters, which have been implemented to reduce their emissions in line with their sustainability goal of cutting carbon emissions by 20% by 2025. Guests were also treated to an exclusive glimpse of ROR’s collaboration with Frothing Friday’s electric vehicle fleet, utilized for sales, QC and technical purposes – working hand-in-hand to propel them towards their sustainability goals.They also highlighted their fully compostable coffee bags, capsules, and cups across their product portfolio, in a bid to reduce waste.

ROR Coffee’s commitment to fair trade and their partnership with Rwandan women farmers marks a significant milestone in their commitment to support and empower women. The success of their impactful event serves as a beacon, inspiring other companies in the coffee industry to not only adopt similar practices but also contribute to fostering a more fair world for women farmers and cultivating a sustainable environment.

International Coffee Organization: 70% of Coffee Farming Workforce Comprises Women

Posted on by Qahwa World

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) has revealed that women constitute a significant 70% of the agricultural workforce in coffee-producing countries. The organization calls for the empowerment and enhancement of women’s roles, acknowledging the pivotal contribution women make in the coffee sector.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, the ICO, through its official Instagram account, emphasized the urgency of gender equality and the empowerment of women. It highlighted the global awareness and support for initiatives that uplift women in the coffee industry.

The organization stated, “Women make up to 70% of the agricultural workforce in coffee-producing countries. These statistics include women who independently manage their farms and those who contribute to both paid and unpaid work in family farms and agricultural activities.”

Roles are often divided by gender, with women in families dedicating disproportionately more time to coffee cultivation, harvesting, and processing. In contrast, men focus on less time-consuming activities such as crop storage and marketing.

The ICO pointed out that, out of the estimated 25 million coffee producers worldwide, 5 million are women, underscoring the significant impact women have on the coffee supply chain and the importance of recognizing their contributions.

“Approximately 20%-30% of coffee farms are managed by women. Despite their vital role, the lack of land tenure security poses challenges, leading to difficulties in accessing financing for female entrepreneurs. Social, cultural, and institutional traditions, alongside land inheritance systems, are common formal and informal barriers hindering gender equality in the agro-industrial sector.”

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the ICO urged individuals, organizations, and communities to participate actively in sharing these facts and supporting initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women in the coffee industry. By supporting women in coffee-producing regions, we can contribute to making the global coffee sector more inclusive and sustainable.