I am reminded of a female upgraded entrepreneur that I interviewed in the Southern Philippines. She sources coffee beans from tribal communities in Mindanao as well communities that are in conflict-affected areas. These traditional coffee beans are the communities' means of acquiring income and securing food for the household, because she offers a fair price for them and markets the beans herself (locally and abroad). Her engagement has improved the lives of women (as they are mostly involved in harvesing and pre-processing of beans) and their families through improved incomes. She uses her enterprise to also advocate for peace, because coffee ceremonies are used as platform for negotiations between warring tribes, as well as between government and muslim groups. I have written about her enterprise and advocacy in my publication. Her business model is a win-win situation for all involved, and has impacted women, incomes, agriculture and peace in southern Philippines (see Hampel-Milagrosa, 2014 Micro and small enterprise upgrading in the Philippines, DIE Studies 86).
Dr. Aimée Hampel-Milagrosa