This years International Women's Day Theme is one that Growers First has been providing for the last 10 years and continues to strive to improve the lives of the rural women within the coffee communities that we are involved in.
One of the 1st items that Growers First provides is an assessment of the needs and concerns of the individual villages and communities by involving the women separately so we can gauge the true pulse of each community. Using the "Ten Seeds Technique" allows the women, both educated and non-educated, the opportunity to have a voice in the decisions.
Through our nursery programs, close involvement with each unique farmer and certification processes, the women coffee farmers are given equal opportunities for advancement economically & socially. A recent example is that ALL of the coffee farmers, including all the women farmers, receive USDA organic coffee certifications! This allows them to receive a higher value for their coffee.
One of Growers First's main goals is that the end consumer of these coffee farmers commodity will have an opportunity the build a relationship with the coffee farmer that harvested their coffee. Using the most current technology, Growers First has created "Traceable-Transformation" TM Coffee Tags that are placed on each bag of coffee purchased so that the end consumer can scan using smartphone technology and build a direct relationship with each farmer that worked so hard to provide that great cup of coffee!
Growers First wants to honor International Women's Day 2011 and we hope that you will to!