Coffee with a Woman’s Face
Phase II
In Huehuetenango, rural and Indigenous women are redefining what it means to produce coffee. Through the Coffee with a Woman’s Face project, women strengthen their productive capacities, lead cooperatives, build enterprises, and access differentiated markets—creating more sustainable livelihoods for their families and communities.
This project promotes the leadership and economic empowerment of women coffee producers in the municipalities of La Democracia, Todos Santos Cuchumatán, and Concepción Huista, supporting them to be recognized not only as farmers, but also as leaders, entrepreneurs, and agents of community transformation.
The challenge
Although women play a central role in coffee production, they continue to face structural barriers that limit their opportunities—restricted access to education and digital tools, reliance on a single annual harvest, and limited participation in decision-making spaces. These gaps increase household vulnerability and constrain long-term economic growth.
Coffee with a Woman’s Face responds to this context by strengthening women’s productive, organizational, and educational capacities, while promoting economic autonomy and leadership within coffee cooperatives.
360
coffe producers
1,500
people reached indirectly
3
cooperatives strengthened
Our approach
The project works alongside 362 women coffee producers, integrating three mutually reinforcing strategies:
Resilient and sustainable coffee production
Participants improve their production systems through agroecological practices, quality processes, and certifications that allow them to differentiate their coffee and access higher-value markets. These efforts strengthen climate resilience and increase recognition of coffee grown and managed by women.
Income diversification and entrepreneurship
Beyond green coffee, women develop collective enterprises such as coffee shops, restaurants, and value-added coffee products. These initiatives generate year-round income, strengthen local economies, and position collective brands with a strong women-led identity.
Education and digital skills
The project supports adult literacy, digital skills development, and educational opportunities for young women across the coffee value chain. This expands economic opportunities and strengthens women’s active participation in cooperative management and governance.
Expected impact
By the end of the project, participating women will have:
More resilient and technified coffee production systems.
Diversified income sources that reduce dependence on a single harvest.
Greater economic autonomy and leadership within their organizations.
Educational and digital capacities to manage businesses, access markets, and make informed decisions.
Sustainability
Coffee with a Woman’s Face is designed to generate lasting impact. Cooperatives adopt internal policies that guarantee women’s participation in decision-making, strengthen savings and collective enterprises, and establish strategic alliances to sustain training, certification, and market access over time.
