Tata Célestine has been producing coffee for more than ten years, balancing her work on the farm with a full household. She is a mother of five and has also adopted three orphans. Alongside her family responsibilities, she has been an active member of the EKOH cooperative in Tsavanya for a decade, serves as an auditor in her Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), is president of a women’s group, and secretary of the KC Union’s Women’s Council.
She cultivates a 0.75-hectare coffee farm as a non-owner, receiving two-thirds of the harvest. Each year, between December and January, she sells her coffee and uses the income to repay debts and cover her husband’s medical expenses.
To maintain the plantation, she works with sharecroppers. In recent years, her yields have improved, particularly after she attended our training on good agricultural practices.
“I learned how to make compost,” she explains. “Since I started using it, my coffee plants have become more productive.”
Alongside coffee, Tata Célestine also grows cassava. Thanks to her being a member of a VSLA, what began as two plots has grown to four. With our support, 17 women who came together to discuss women’s roles and child protection, then decided to start income-generating activities. Under her leadership, the group rented land to grow cassava in 2024. The success of the first harvest allowed them to expand. They now meet monthly, carry out collective fieldwork, and plan to grow maize and open a bank account next year.
As secretary of the KC Union’s Women’s Council, created in early 2025, Tata Célestine has gained confidence. She says: “I used to be shy, but I learned how to speak in public and lead meetings and now I’m confident.”
Her role in the VSLA has also strengthened her position at home and in the community. The group has saved over 600,000 FCFA, and access to loans has helped her respond quickly in times of need.
“To manage everything, I rely on organisation and communication,” she says. “Helping others is important, because one day, you may need help too.”
The Midjo project is supported by:
