Kokowagayo Cooperative

“In a traditional Fair Trade cooperative, the men vote for how the social premiums are to be invested. Oftentimes, the women’s priorities are different and our voices are not heard. This was the motivation to form the first all-woman cooperative.” – Ernani Muzaputri, Cooperative Member and Social Training Coordinator. Café Femenino Sumatra

While women in Sumatra have always carried key roles in coffee production, they had been excluded from decision-making roles. By creating their own women-only cooperative,
these women not only earn more money for their hard work, but they also have the ability to decide where the money needs to be invested.

They use their increased premiums to strengthen their skillsets and self-esteem through various capacity-building workshops in leadership, financial management and human rights.

To help diversify their income, the women have created an entrepreneurship program that provides women with the resources and training necessary to grow and sell non-coffee commodities when the coffee harvest is complete.