KALAAMUGOSI WOMEN's EMPOWERMENT
SHIFT is partnering with Great Lakes Coffee to empower women coffee producers in Eastern Uganda
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Mount Elgon, Uganda, is known for producing some of the country’s best Arabica coffee. Unfortunately, this eastern region in Uganda is also where women face high levels of violence and discrimination.
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SHIFT, and Ugandan coffee export partner Great Lakes Coffee, support Kalaamugosi Women’s Society (Kalaamugosi) to overcome the multiple forms of discrimination and abuse, including early marriage, domestic violence, and restrictions on land ownership and access to justice.
Kalaamugosi works with 1,246 farmers members (79% male, 21% female) across four districts. It has set-up a network of 27 farmer groups and four collection centers. The cooperative provides training in Good Agricultural Practices, supports farmers to achieve Rainforest Alliance certification and works with Great Lakes Coffee to provide farmers with a market for the sale of their coffee. By regularly engaging with farming families and hosting monthly meetings, Kalaamugosi works with both men and women to change behaviors and support women to develop a sense of dignity and empowerment.
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Fast Facts
Location: Mount Elgon, Uganda
Coffee type: Arabica
Farmers impacted: 1,200+
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Next steps
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SHIFT and Great Lakes Coffee will continue to support and empower women by working with Kalaamugosi to provide:
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Necessary equipment and infrastructure to improve coffee
quality, such as a warehouse and drying year to improve drying capacity, and install 4 mini eco-pulpers.
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Training in agriculture, financial literacy and recordkeeping to improve their abilities to run their coffee farms as a business.
