To expand the circle of women's empowerment.

Zensho has been engaged in fair trade for organic coffee in central Peru since 2010, and in northern Peru since 2012.

In the northern producers' cooperative, where many female producers are active, they purchase coffee beans produced by female members, in parallel with their work with male producers, and use social development costs ^* included in the price to provide support specifically for improving the living conditions of female producers.

In this report, we will introduce what has changed as a result of Zensho 's initiatives, including the voices of female producers Dominga and Maria Eugenia.

① Installation of an improved stove

The old-fashioned stoves used in ordinary households in this region tend to fill rooms with smoke, which often causes health problems for women who spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Based on discussions with producers, Zensho installed improved stoves with chimneys in 30 households.

"The previous stove wasn't very energy-efficient. It was a crude stove, and the smoke would linger in the room, affecting our health, especially our lungs. But since the improved stove was installed, with all but the input opening sealed off, the smoke now escapes from the top, so it no longer fills the kitchen like before, and we no longer have to worry about our health."

In addition, they say that the improved thermal efficiency has reduced the amount of firewood used, which has also helped to improve living conditions and conserve forest resources by reducing the labor burden of collecting firewood in the mountains.

② 'Home Gardening Project'

This project involves distributing vegetable seeds and having agricultural technicians make rounds. It seems that the variety and quantity of vegetables that can be grown have increased since the project began.

■Producer: Maria Eugenia

"Before, we could only grow cilantro, but now we can grow spinach, lettuce, and even green onions. Also, when we have a good harvest, we can sell it at the town market, which helps with our household finances."

A stable harvest of vegetables provides a balanced diet and a source of supplementary income to support the family's livelihood.

③ Other projects

In addition, Zensho has also provided medical support such as women's health checkups and yacht breeding programs in this region.

The "Quay Breeding Program" promotes the breeding of guinea pigs, known as cuy, in individual households, contributing to the preservation of traditional food culture while also helping to secure a stable source of protein and supplemental income throughout the year.

In our ongoing project, we continue to support female producers by assisting them in introducing small-scale coffee bean drying facilities, as they are unable to use the drying facilities at the cooperative's business premises due to their work in mountain villages.