Category: MOTIVATION - Women in the world of Coffee

Success is building a cathedral with the bricks others have thrown at you - by Ines Ciza

9/4/2015

Mawazo riding her bike to success

Success starts when you believe in yourself and you do what you need to do to succeed. Unfortunately, women - in particular in the coffee industry - tend to sabotage their own success even before they start! Women need to remove from their thinking: “I am not ready to do that” or ”I will do that when I’m better prepared”.

Modesty and perfection may seem minor behavioral patterns, but for most women the smallest things can often make the biggest difference from reaching success.

“Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance”. By Kofi Annan, Former General Secretary, United States.

So the question is: can the coffee industry make a difference in the elimination of gender based on equity? Absolutely, it can! When everything seems desperate to women, nothing can feel certain. We have seen women coffee farmers stand up for themselves and see changes in small ways which bring about big outcomes.

A vivid example is one of the Burundian women in coffee industry (IWCA-BURUNDI Chapter member) named Mawazo who got a bonus last year from the sale of her coffee. Her cherries participated in the competition of Cup of Excellence 2014 and were among the lots that were selected among the winners. This special woman in the coffee industry, Mawazo, used her bonus from the sale of coffee to purchase a bicycle in order to support her family. She said: “First of all, I bought a bicycle so that I bring easily my cherries to the washing station, and secondly, if one of the family members falls sick, she/he can get transportation in order to go to the hospital”.

Women all over the world need to stop making matter worse for themselves. Instead, they need to participate. And stay in the game. Make decisions, make errors, make changes. Exercise resilience. Love. Work. Play. Enjoy, and cry bitter tears. That’s what life is all about. We just need to know and understand that things can and will get better.

Perhaps the difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength or a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of motivation - by Kattia Barrantes

7/17/2015

Kattia - center - motivating others to love and appreciate coffee

Learning to over come obstacles

A good cup of coffee always helps to keep motivation high

Motivation is the force or engine that thrusts us into making our dreams come true, personally as well as professionally.

It is that which helps us to get up, move forward in difficult and hard times, when you feel you cannot take a further step, it is that spark that ignites the soul of our life and illuminates the path to success.

In my life, I can say that motivation has been my support, the hand that holds me, my guardian angel who guides me in my development as a human being to become the woman I am today: a dreamer, a fighter, entrepreneur, always looking to achieve my goals and objectives, which at the beginning seemed unattainable, but not impossible.

It is faith in you, no matter what others believe or think. We must remember that boundaries are within us; competition and struggle are within us. We must always be the best version of ourselves.

It is important to understand that this world we live in needs people to work more and criticize less, build more and destroy less, promise less and solve more, expect less and give more. They must say “now” rather than “tomorrow”. It is only possible to move forward when one sees beyond the obstacles. One can only thrive when thinking big.

And this can only be achieved when motivated. Motivation is what drives us to start and habit allows us to continue.

Motivation can be reflected on anything that surrounds us. The important thing is to recognize our strengths and weaknesses, to love and respect ourselves the way we are and to work every day to be better without losing our essence.

You CAN make a difference in this world: don’t listen to those people who are scared to try and especially not to those who are scared you will succeed - by Raquel Santos Soares Menezes

3/20/2015

No one can do it by themselves: Marisa and her family

Marisa on her coffee farm

Marisa getting a tan while working with her coffee beans

When Marisa Contreras says that coffee is the best business in the world, she just not truly believes this, but persuades all who are listening that she is indeed speaking the truth!

There have been few moments in my life that I’ve seen someone as charismatic and enthusiastic as the coffee grower Marisa Contreras, a Brazilian from Areado, south of Minas Gerais. She graduated in pharmacology and left the drugstore chain of her family to fully dedicate - body and soul - to coffee. In her speeches and lectures, which Marisa does as a volunteer from IWCA-Brazil, she gets smiles and gasps from her audiences. But what do Marisa and her stories have that is so special that can cause people to be moved and make something significant in their lives in the sense of coffee?

First of all, it’s about her simplicity. When she refers to coffee, Marisa uses the universal language that everybody can understand: the language of the heart. In a funny manner, she reports how to dedicate energy and passion to the most important and trivial tasks of coffee labor. For instance, she usually says that she likes to turn the drying coffee beans on the patio herself because it’s the best way to get a tan, as if had gone to the beach!

Second, Marisa involves everybody by showing the entrepreneurship in practice. Passion and innovation walk side by side every day on a coffee farm: a focused view on the market opportunities, the sincere commitment to quality and actions for environmental and social sustainability are also visible. In the coffee shop “Café da Roça”, located on the farm, Marisa sells her roasted and ground coffee. There is also the possibility to buy things made by other women of the local communities, like handicrafts and typical sweets. This shows that she is a woman that is trying to do the best for herself as well as changing the lives of other women. The visitors who go to the Capoeira Farm can take a tour in order to know the process of coffee: from seed to cup. Another example of Marisa’s entrepreneurship that promotes agritourism is the “Coffee Route”. Due to these initiatives, Fazenda Capoeira Coffee and Marisa Contreras have been recognized and prized in national and international contests.

The third component of Marisa’s success is her tireless search for knowledge. And she has been doing this in two ways: firstly, with formal education that allowed her to meet the excellence level of coffee production and trade, and the management of her farm. The second way is by her network. Her ability to get close to people and inspire confidence is the basis of relationships built with suppliers, consumers, employers and all others agents of the coffee supply chain. This attitude has enable Marisa to have access to a consistent knowledgeable database.

Summarizing, with these three elements - simplicity, entrepreneurship and knowledge - Marisa Contreras has been responsible of motivating many people in the Brazilian coffee sector. Not just women - but mainly – who for sure identify themselves with the shine of Marisa’s eyes: that shine that is typical of people who love what they do. And to us wom-en, there isn’t anything better than to love to take action and fight for what we believe in.

May there be more “Marisas" who can bring this drive to the world of coffee!

Living with coffee, motivated by coffee – by Rose Karimi

3/6/2015

Rose (in center) with fellow Kenyan women in coffee

Living and working with coffee

Regina Mwangi: a mentor for many young women in Kenya

Waking up each day to work in the coffee industry is turning out to be the greatest experience in my life. Ever since I joined Dedan Kimathi University of Technology to study coffee, I have experienced vigorous growth and satisfaction. All motivated by the issues revolving around coffee. It is through coffee that I am capable of earning a living. This is similar to several other women who earn their living through this valuable commodity along the value and quality chain.

Big encounter.
Meeting with the key players and great people around the world of coffee has changed the lifestyle of a number of the women. As women, having undergone similar challenges attaining successful missions and sharing incredible personal experiences and encounters has yielded ambitious women who are willing to change their livelihoods in order to definitely help prosper the community.

Regina Mwangi, who has been my mentor, has also been a big motivation for several young women in Kenya who can pick up from her example. Her effort to pursue her Master’s degree in "Coffee Economics and Science" thanks to the Ernesto Illy Foundation in Italy and her persistent spirit has made her retain and steer a position in the Kenyan coffee industry today. She has really mentored several young women into leaders. A part from being a mentor, Regina’s high spirit and passion of result-orientated goals is a sure inspiration in general and as far as coffee issues are concerned in my life.

The social network.
I thank God that we have different bodies pulling the effort of women together such as the Women in the world of coffee that is helping to turn the world around through a quiet revolution. It is one of the greatest motivations for women around the globe today. Getting in touch with different coffee players and getting updated on events happening around us is a major stimulus. Thanks to this blogging opportunity, it is a perfect platform for the women to influence the world positively their best way possible.

I believe all the lady bloggers have untapped potential that can now be tapped through the blog and take coffee issues to the next level in their respective countries...thumps up for this blog and all the women who have really been supportive to see fellow young ladies be empowered and become driven.

We are a product of our association and the coffee world is indeed a fascinating reality!

Life does not consist in holding good cards, but playing the ones you have well - by Rebeca Valle Anfossi

2/13/2015

Women in the world of coffee conference - March 2014

Rebeca (left) and her mentor Rosa Maria Valdivia (right)

Rebeca, living a beautiful experience in Trieste

I have something that motivates me, it is as simple as knowing that I have the freedom to dream, to build my dreams with those who love me and expect good things from me.

I am excited to go to sleep thinking about my projects, that I indeed have a future. Treasure those good spirits from those who love you, their good vibes and positive comments.

We have difficult days in our lives, not everything is rosy, but I want to consider those surpassed difficulties as medals won. Perhaps those difficulties will be converted into stories that I can hopefully laugh at in the near future.

Sometimes, if I'm having a hard time, I focus on what I want to achieve; that motivates me to keep going and it's like trying a delicious sweet or savoring that good aftertaste of an exquisite espresso.

I want to give to those who trust in me the best of me, to continue preparing myself, struggling to hopefully give something good to my community.

It motivates me to know that a small contribution made by each of us makes a difference. It motivates me to know how important our actions are and the importance it can have on the lives of others. If this is indeed the case, why not think about acting positively?

It motivates me to see that in the world there are generous, unselfish people wishing the best for us without asking or expecting anything in return; people who - when you least expect it - extend their hand out to you wanting only the best for you. We are definitely not alone in the world.

I am motivated to leave a good legacy and that my good acts can serve as a positive example for others.

To finish off, I want to mention that in early 2014 I had the opportunity to live a beautiful experience. I attended the conference "Women in the world of coffee" organized by the Ernesto Illy Foundation. It was thanks to my mentor, Rosa Maria Valdivia, that I was able to learn the stories of strong women fighters helping their communities grow. They really are female fighters, they must deal with various obstacles such as male chauvinism, the refusal by disinterested organizations, ignorance: knowing these stories encouraged me to move on, nothing is impossible.

Let us follow our dreams and fight for a better future.

We all look up to strong, independent women. And Sunalini Menon is one of them! by Urvashi Malhotra

12/19/2014

Young Sunalini Menon (center)

Sunalini Menon always inspiring others

Sunalini Menon (left) and Urvashi Malhotra (right)

Motivation – it’s a multi-layered word, full of depth and emotion. It’s what keeps us going, what propels us forward and gives one the inspiration to meet the challenges that come our way.

Just as without motivation, life would be barren, the world of coffee would surely be barren without the inspiration that coffee guru, Sunalini Menon brings to the world of coffee. In a way that only she can, she has touched the lives of an entire generation of coffee professionals, cutting across countries, age and place in the coffee value chain by providing knowledge, education, support or guidance. Be it a coffee grower in Kenya, a producer in Brazil, a student in Italy or a coffee connoisseur in the USA – they have all received the Midas touch.

It is surprising then that throughout her childhood, Sunalini was a reserved and introverted child, believing that she had no skills at all. She did not as shine in school like her sister, was the worry of her family and teachers alike, and spent her time only in playing with the neighbourhood children, including the children of cowherds and flower pickers!

The turning point came in grade 5, when she was hit on her hand by her principal, for the red marks on her report card. She decided then that she would top the class exam of grade 5. In this difficult time, it was her grandfather who instilled faith in her abilities. “Sunamma, you can do it.” To everyone’s surprise, play time was substituted by studies, and every morning after sneaking a few drops of coffee into her morning milk, she would read out the English newspaper to her grandfather who would gently correct her English and gave her the encouragement she needed. Little Sunalini looked within herself and focused on her strength with the goal of topping her class. And top she did! The utterly shocked school principal was overheard asking the class teacher, “Did she copy?!” The class teacher, however, had noticed the light in the little girl’s eyes and from then on there was no looking back. She took her grandfather’s words to heart – dedication and efforts are a basic requirement, but in order to achieve something, you must be willing to share your knowledge. She also absorbed his keen observation of people, which went beyond the obvious – discerning a person’s background, their need and their motivations.

Another remarkable gentleman who inspired her was her Swiss mentor. She made her first international journey to learn from him with trepidation. A foreign country, a foreign language, but the 75-year-old surprised her. Months before she was to arrive, he spent 3 hours every day preparing to teach her by learning her language – English. These two kindly gentlemen were the ones who built the code that Sunalini lives by; perseverance, diligence and depth of knowledge.

It was a coffee grower who walked into her coffee laboratory one day and challenged her to do something she had never done before. “You have so much knowledge,” he said, “Why don’t you train and teach?” This was uncharted territory, but for Sunalini, a challenge was always hard to resist. It was an opportunity to share her considerable skills and knowledge, and she ensured that she taught in a way that was unique; drawing on the everyday experiences of people and helping them connect to the learnings that coffee has to offer. With each skilling workshop, the methods were made more innovative, ensuring that the trainee learnt what they would never forget. Combined with an acute sense of observation, this unique approach to imparting training in all aspects of coffee means that Sunalini has transformed the lives of many people and touched many more.

It was her intervention and skilling that gave Merlin, a young boy from a village from South India, the chance and the confidence to represent India in the World Barista Championship in Vienna in 2012.

And Shwetha, who was at the lowest ebb of her life, a single mother, received the inspiration and opportunity to complete successfully a 6-month Master’s degree in Coffee Economics and Science in Italy.

Innumerable people in the coffee word would bear testimony to the fact that they have experienced her Midas touch – encouraged and inspired to achieve beyond what they thought possible - Sunalini is motivation personified!

If you want to learn to fly, you must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; you cannot fly into flying – by Ines Ciza

12/5/2014

Immagine

President of IWCA Burundi – Madam Isabelle Sinamenye - and women coffee farmers

During the month of August 2014, I went to visit women in the coffee industry in countryside of Burundi with members of the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA) – the Burundi chapter - in order to encourage these ladies by asking them the problems they encounter in the coffee industry with hopes to resolve them together.

One of their main problems is they don’t have fertilizers for their coffee trees. They also added that because of this problem, they don’t harvest high quantity coffee beans. Another issue is they cannot afford the insecticides to spray on their coffee trees so as to prevent their coffee trees from being attacked by insects.

These women coffee farmers asked us to be their spokeswomen, taking their voice farther and explaining their situation to the authorities. Their hopes also included their own coffee washing stations which would allow them to get involved in the coffee industry and sell their coffee not in the cherry form, but already in the form of green coffee seeds: this would increase the amount of money they could earn for their coffee harvest.

During this visit, the president of IWCA Burundi – Madam Isabelle Sinamenye - replied saying she promises to approach the authorities with the hopes that at least one washing station managed by the government will be lent to these women coffee farmers. Madame Sinamenye also added that, despite the very big financial issues IWCA has, she hopes to find an organization that will help women in the coffee industry and optimistically hopes to find a way to purchase a washing station for these women coffee farmers.

One message was clear: Burundi needs motivated women coffee farmers who can open their minds and eyes and see the importance of being in the coffee industry. Women need to promote women in the coffee chain. Through their activities, they can improve their income, get a stronger voice and be visible in the coffee business. Madame Sinamenye concluded by encouraging these ladies to do their best, work hard so that they can be among the winners in the next Cup of Excellence contest and by winning, get more advantages.

This visit hopefully opened the eyes of these strong women and invited them to reinforce their abilities through this quiet revolution and by being visible through their own promotion.