By Teopista Nakkungu | Chief Coordinator IWCA Uganda Chapter
The IWCA Uganda Chapter wishes you happy Easter Holidays!!
The IWCA Uganda Chapter is prioritizing structuring how women engage from the farm to the other levels of the value chain. There are many barriers that limit women participation especially at the higher levels of the value chain notably limited access to finance, training opportunities but most importantly lack of coffee ownership due to limited access to factors of production. In February 2021 the secretariat staff with some board members collaborated with staff from Opportunity International she trades and opportunity back to discuss support to the women in Mt Elgon access Financial literacy trainings and enterprise diversification. A total of 6 farmers groups represented by their leaders. The women presented the need for access for trainings ,finance and enterprise diversification to enable them continue the work on the coffee farm while earning some income. Further discussions were made and Opportunity bank is beginning to train some of the groups in Financial literacy and Village savings and Loan schemes to enable them access resources. 30 groups are being screened to participate in this program. More updates in the next report.
The secretariat organized a high-level workshop that included sector players, media, civil society IWCA members and some members of Parliament under the theme; “ Promoting Gender Inclusion for the women in the Coffee Value chain in Uganda to gain from their hard labor and increase their participation in the coffee value chain. One of the workshop objectives was to collect feedback and ideas on how to promote women inclusion in the upcoming coffee regulations after the passing of the coffee bill to ensure women are sustainably thriving in the coffee value chain. More updates on women in coffee contribution to the coffee regulations in the nest report.
The women in coffee in Uganda celebrated International women’s day through awareness creation through highlighting about IWCA Uganda chapter in two National newspapers namely the Daily Monitor and the New Vision. Also participated in organized sector events particularly the one organized by Inspire Africa supported by Private sector Foundation and UNDP and the Chief Coordinator was among the panelists under the them “ Women in Coffee Diversity & Innovations for Equal Jobs and opportunities”. The chapter continued to celebrate women through the whole month of March. With support from Uganda Coffee Development Authority the secretariat has continued to show case outstanding women in coffee to be exemplary to other women through print media. A total of 10 outstanding women had their stories published.
The staff continue to extend service delivery to the women and other members, a total of 4 samples of outstanding coffees from the women have been mobilized and sent to a potential buyer who is a specialty coffee roaster in the USA. These are samples that were submitted on behalf of women to the best of the Pearl cupping competition that saw coffee from IWCA membership scoring very high.
Many thanks again for your support!We will continue to keep you updated about our work and events of the following months.!
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