This is the story of women. Not just the women of rural communities in Peru, but of women throughout developing nations: women who have no rights, women who are abandoned, women who are abused, women who are alone with children and no income. All are women who are left with no self-esteem, but still they hope for a better life. Today, we are only at the beginning of the story, and it begins in Northern Peru.

Peru, like most coffee-producing countries, is a rural Third World Country. In these areas of lower cultural living standards, women are not only isolated, but mistreated physically and emotionally. With little resources, the coffee family prefers to invest available resources in educating the sons. The daughter stays home, devoting herself to chores around the house and watching over the farm. They usually marry between 12 and 16 years old. Until now, women have only been allowed to participate in the domestic work of the home. If allowed to join work groups, it has been only in a passive role. From the desire to change this situation, the Café Femenino Project was born.

The women farmers participate in all farm activities. They prepare the terrain, nurseries, and the compost. They fertilize the soil and prepare bio-fertilizers, as well as harvesting, de-pulping, fermenting, and drying of the coffee. They also are involved in the decisions as to how the money from the coffee sales will be used.

With the Organic and the Fair Trade premiums they receive, they are now able to promote the organization of the female coffee farmers and their integration into social, political, and occupational organizations. These additional funds provide extra income that goes directly to the women producers. The use of this income is for them alone to decide. The hope is that by changing the roles of women the quality of life in these communities will improve and help to build a sustainable economic system.

The Café Femenino Coffee Project is working to raise self-esteem and to change the view of women's roles. It is also working by starting economical activities that generate sales the women can control. The women's response to these organizational activities has been amazing! Even the support offered by community leaders and other men has gone well.

The Café Femenino Coffee Project currently involves 464 women coffee farmers. Over the next year, the plan is to strengthen the work with these women through regional and zonal conferences and by promoting activities that give them greater economic opportunities. Arbuckle is committing proceeds from its own profits to help these women; the women themselves have committed to working hard to continually improve their coffee. The name Café Femenino means quality coffee as well as women's equality!