After being diagnosed with bone tumor, Ericka considered selling her coffee farm to pay for medical costs. As a smallholder coffee producer, she was barely making enough revenue from coffee sales.
Ericka is one of five million smallholder womxn who own coffee farms and depend on coffee for their livelihoods, but find limited resources while facing gender based discrimination.
We work with coffee producers like Ericka, providing them with training and market access so they can produce sustainable coffee and sell directly to consumers.
Ericka learned to de-pulp, wash, dry and prepare the final bag of coffee from her own farm.
Ericka created a financial plan and budget to gradually revive her coffee business.
Ericka's youngest daughter, Tatiana, hopes to continue her family's coffee business.
By supporting Ericka to turn pre-commercial coffee to commercial, and ready for the market, she is able to earn $7.63/lb of coffee, which is 300% more than fair trade prices.