MEET
Cindy Murillo
Coffee gave her a business, but courage gave her a voice that now lifts others.
Her journey
Between the rolling slopes of León Cortés, Doña Cindy Murillo tends her coffee fields with the precision of a teacher and the passion of a lifelong learner. A trained English teacher and proud coffee producer, she manages both her own farm and her husband’s—balancing discipline, curiosity, and deep care for the land.
Cindy’s journey into leadership in coffee began long before she joined Bean Voyage. As a delegate for ICAFE, she often found herself as one of the few women in male-dominated meetings, her ideas met with polite silence or brushed aside. Yet she persisted—holding her ground, speaking up, and slowly building credibility through action.
When she joined the Farmer School in 2023, she found what she had been searching for: a space where her voice mattered. Surrounded by women growers who shared her challenges and dreams, Cindy not only expanded her technical and business knowledge but also rediscovered her confidence as a leader.
That same year, she received a seed capital grant to start a project selling shade trees—an innovative idea to support climate resilience while generating income. The first year was tough: with coffee prices low, many producers hesitated to invest in maintenance or new trees. Still, Cindy planted Gravilia trees on her own land, improving soil quality and shade. Later, she reinvested her profits in fruit trees, experimenting with farm diversification. What began as a small project has since become a model of adaptive, sustainable growth.
“Being part of this community gave me the confidence to dream bigger and the tools to make it real. It reminded me that we, as women in coffee, are not alone—we are a movement.”
Before joining Bean Voyage, Cindy’s biggest challenges weren’t about skill—they were about visibility and access. As a woman leader in a traditionally male space, she often felt her contributions overlooked. Financial planning for the farm also felt uncertain; decisions were reactive, not strategic.
A Journey of Growth and Connection
Through Bean Voyage, Cindy found a platform for both learning and belonging. She completed the Farmer School training, attended the Women-Powered Coffee Summits in Costa Rica and Mexico, and joined the Market Access Program—a milestone that helped her export her coffee for the first time to South Korea and Dubai.
The experience of connecting directly with buyers abroad opened her eyes to new possibilities. It wasn’t just about selling coffee—it was about sharing a story, a craft, a legacy.
“For the first time, I felt that people wanted to hear from me—not just buy my coffee, but understand where it came from.”
Key Learnings
Through the program, Cindy learned to manage her farm with sharper financial insight—tracking expenses, budgeting, and making long-term investment decisions. She discovered how to add value through roasting and branding, creating her own label, Cafetea.
Most importantly, she developed confidence in her expertise and in her right to lead—both within her farm and in her community.
About Cindy’s Project
NAME OF THE PROJECT
Almacigo de "Gravillea Robusta"
REGION / COUNTRY
San Pablo de León Cirtés, Costa Rica
SEED FUND FROM BV
$450 USD
PROJECT TYPE
Tree Nursery
The Transformation
Cindy’s story of transformation is deeply tied to both empowerment and empathy. Through her coffee exports, she was able to reinvest profits in her community—making it possible, for the first time, for children with autism in Los Santos to receive therapy locally at half the usual cost.
“Coffee gave me a voice. But more than that—it gave me the chance to create something bigger than myself.”
The ripple effect of her success reaches far beyond her farm: she’s mentoring other women producers, advocating for inclusion within ICAFE, and demonstrating how coffee can be both a livelihood and a force for social change.
Looking Ahead
Cindy’s vision for the future is bold yet grounded. She plans to:
Continue exporting her coffee and improving quality through sustainable practices.
Expand diversification on her farm, exploring fruit trees and agroforestry.
Strengthen Cafetea as a women-led brand rooted in purpose, quality, and care.