Ines Ciza from Burundi
I am Inès Ciza, a Burundian. I have been working in the coffee sector as an administrative assistant at INTERCAFE-BURUNDI (Inter-professional Association of the Burundi coffee sector). This association was created in 2010 and groups all the stakeholders of the coffee sector. I am proud to be one of the young bloggers who foster this “quiet revolution” through education and access.
Kattia Barrantes from Costa Rica
I grew up in a family of farmers who have been growing coffee for three generations. I own a coffee farm in the highlands of the West Valley, specifically in Lourdes, Naranjo (5250 ft), in the province of Alajuela, and grow over 145 acres of 100% Coffea Arabica known as the best quality worldwide. My goal is to open wide access to education for women in the coffee industry, by training them in different aspects that would lead them to a better position during the process of trading and marketing their coffee.
Raquel Santos Soares Menezes from Brazil
I was born in Carmo do Paranaíba, Região do Cerrado Mineiro, in Brazil, a traditional area of coffee grown in my country. After living ten years out of my city, studying business management, I went back to my origins, and now I work as a professor in the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, at Rio Paranaíba campus. The opportunity to join a project like the “Quiet Revolution” represents to me a chance to share knowledge, and mainly to encourage women along the coffee chain to improve their business, to increase their income, to contribute to a better quality of life to them and their family, and with this, all society will be benefited.
Rebeca Valle Anfossi from Peru
My name is Rebeca Valle Anfossi, I live in Lima, Peru. My beginnings in the world of coffee were unplanned, as what usually happens with special events in our life. Starting as a volunteer in cupping sessions as a common person with curiosity, I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about this wonderful world. Thanks to the world of coffee I have been able to meet wonderful people, incredible women who are working forward with drive, passion, perseverance, improving the quality of life and educating both their family and community. I am proud to be part of this journey.
Rose Karimi from Kenya
I was born and raised in the Eastern Kenya which is a non-coffee growing area. In 2008, I met my husband who comes from a coffee growing zone of the Nyeri county in Central Kenya where Kenya’s finest quality coffee is produced. As I carried out my duties on the coffee farm, I developed great passion for coffee. My curiosity grew on what makes quality coffee and a good cup. I learnt this through hard work of picking, sorting and interacting with coffee experts. My interests in coffee led me to undertake Diploma Courses in coffee at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology where I graduated in 2011. Being in this project is an exciting phenomenon in my life. Not only because it is a dream come true, but also because I know that with this great opportunity, I will learn and discover more about the world of women in coffee.
Urvashi Malhotra from India
I am a trainer, a learning and development specialist, and believe very much in the development of individuals to realize their true potential. India is a very rich and varied country, and at the same time, there are many who, due to lack of opportunity, are unable to rise above doing unskilled tasks to make a living. Having been associated with the coffee retail business for 5 years, my team and I trained thousands of individuals who came from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through training, they rose within the organization to take on middle management roles, lead teams as well as contribute to the organization and do economically well. My belief is that training and education can empower the lives of the next generation of those associated with coffee and, as women who are closely associated with coffee, it is up to us to ensure that we can provide this small push to those we can reach.
Irene Gutierrez from Costa Rica
I was born into a coffee community and my family has been producing coffee for 3 generations. Coffee has been the source of our livelihood. Coffee brought my parents together, and as such, has been a part of my life even before I was born. The strong work ethic and tenacity found in coffee production are my inspiration to strive to succeed and learn. These principles have laid the foundation for my path in life, both professionally and in my personal life. The hopes of uniting BEING a woman and BEING a coffee growing has become a reality that has opened up opportunities for empowering women in coffee and little by little, harvesting the fruit of this great beneficial union.
