Celebrating International Women’s Day by Partnering with Grounds for Health
Join us in celebrating International Women’s Day by supporting female coffee producers via Grounds for Health!
Every two minutes, a woman dies from cervical cancer—a preventable, treatable, and curable disease if caught early. Cervical cancer rates in coffee-growing regions are some of the highest in the world simply due to a lack of accessible, high-quality healthcare.
That's where GfH comes in. Since 1996, they've provided health programs for women in coffee communities, including innovative screening and treatment programs to help prevent cervical cancer.
Their inaugural #GfHWeek is a week-long initiative to support female coffee producers at origin, and we’re excited to do our part! From today through March 15, 2024, we’ll be donating $3 for every bag sold and $.50 for every batch brew cup sold at our cafes of these three women-produced coffees:
Ecuador | Warmikuna Washed
Imported by our friends at Caravela, Warmikuna means "women" or "group of women" in Kichwa, one of Ecuador's ancestral languages. It was produced by three incredible women: Edith Toledo, Liliana Toledo, and Melida Alverca.
For these women, being coffee producers is a source of pride and accomplishment. Their message to coffee consumers is, 'We are strong, dedicated, and focused. We have the ability to produce high-quality coffee and provide for our families.'
El Salvador | Las Mercedes El Pepinal 2 Honey
We've been honored to work with many accomplished women producers over the years, including our longtime Direct Trade partner Lucia Ortiz of Finca Las Mercedes!
Finca Las Mercedes has been passed down through five generations of the Ortiz family and is flourishing under Lucia Ortiz’s leadership. Similarly to GfH, Finca Las Mercedes has initiated many programs to help the local community thrive, including operating a medical clinic that offers free check-ups, vaccination campaigns, dental care, and first aid training.
Peru | Rosa Mego Huaman Extended Ferment Washed
Rosa Mego is a second-generation coffee farmer who owns Finca El Eucalipto, a farm in northern Peru, with her husband, Segundo Olivera.
In 2018, Rosa teamed up with our friends at Caravela to join the Grower Education Program. Since joining the program, Rosa Megos’ resulting harvests have been higher quality, in turn garnering higher prices and allowing her to provide for her family while thinking of the future of El Eucalipto.