Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1237674
44 STiR coffee and tea / Issue 2, 2020 (April / May) roasting. As improvements became more tangible and coffee was seen as a viable source of income, many women were able to convince their husbands to sell their guns and invest the profits in their coffee businesses. Affordable credit allows entrepreneurship in El Salvador Earth's Choice Women of Coffee Micro- finance Program partnered with IWCA in 2014 to offer access to affordable credit to women coffee producers in El Salva- dor. This seemingly small gesture had a domino effect for many women strug- gling to make a living in the coffee indus- try. Maria Rosa Elena Romero de Castro is one such beneficiary. After holding various jobs in coffee in her hometown of Jucuapa, Castro was able, with the help of a micro-loan, to fulfill her dream of starting her own coffee farm. Since then, she has repaid the original loan and bor- rowed additional funds for other proj- ects, including packaging supplies, a coffee roaster, and a truck with which to deliver her coffee to local retail outlets. Cancer screenings strengthen and empower women in Peru Though cervical cancer is almost always curable with proper treatment, it's the second- leading cause of cancer death in Peru because of lack of screening. In 2015, IWCA Peru gathered together a team of partner organization for a multi-day workshop for rural women in coffee. In addition to providing education and training, the workshop also included segments on medical care and nutrition. Participants also received cervi- cal cancer screenings and dental exams. This holistic approach to empowerment has resulted in both individual and collective successes for women working in the coffee supply chain. These are just a handful of examples of the many ways in which IWCA has cre- atively partnered with helping organizations to achieve goals in various coffee-produc- ing countries. Learn more at www.womenincoffee.org. IWCA Brazil Matas case study Credit - IWCA Brazil ACTUATE ACTUATE * Don't Miss a Single STiRing Issue of the World's Leading Coffee and Tea Industry Magazine. ACTUATE a paid subscription to STiR (coffee and tea magazine) Visit www.stir-tea-coffee.com/subscribe Email info@octobermultimedia.com *SYNONYM: STiR, influence, inspire, propel, rouse, excite... w w w. s t i r - t e a - c o ff e e . c o m w w w. s t i r - t e a - c o ff e e . c o m