Women who work in agriculture often face social and economic barriers to accessing health services. According to Coneval, in Mexico, 6 out of 10 women in rural communities live in poverty.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Pro Mujer and Starbucks Mexico collaborated with Medical Impact for the second consecutive year to bring health services to women coffee farmers and their families in four locations in Chiapas, the country’s primary coffee-producing state.
From March 11-13, more than 600 people accessed comprehensive health care and preventive health education. Community health brigades provided more than 4,800 health services, including medical consultations, ultrasounds, diabetes and HIV testing, and breast exams.
Participants were also invited to workshops and discussions on topics such as nutrition and early detection of cardiovascular diseases to raise awareness about the importance of prevention for health and well-being and were offered counseling and information on sexual and reproductive health and prevention of gender-based violence to support informed decision-making about their bodies.
The community health brigades successfully reached communities where 53% of the population does not have health insurance. Of the women treated, 74% had never had a mammogram, and 37% had never had a Pap test.
In addition, 21% of women who underwent breast screening presented risk factors for breast cancer, and 4 women were immediately referred for further evaluation.
Supporting Rural Women
Since 2024, Pro Mujer, Starbucks Mexico, and Medical Impact have worked together to bring health services to women coffee farmers. In March 2024, our first community health brigades visited these communities and provided more than 480 people with more than 2,400 health services.
This year, as part of its “Sirens of the Field” campaign, Starbucks launched a special edition reusable cup to commemorate International Women’s Day. The proceeds were then used to support the community health brigades. Learn more about this initiative here.
These community health brigades reflect our commitment to women coffee farmers, who play a key role in the coffee value chain. Pro Mujer will continue to work with strategic partners to ensure that more women can access health and education services, reach their full potential, and become agents of change in their communities.
