Alabaster International to host immersive gala for women-led food security in Africa

Alabaster International will hold ETCHED on Sept. 12 at Serendipity Labs Costa Mesa to raise money for its enset program and spotlight women smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and Kenya. The event comes during the U.N. International Year of the Woman Farmer and will feature an enset documentary, marketplace, auction and cultural programming.

Why it matters: - Alabaster International is using the gala to fund an expansion of its enset program, which supports food security, farmer income and protection of Indigenous agricultural knowledge. - The event highlights women smallholder farmers in East Africa during the U.N. International Year of the Woman Farmer. - Enset, known as the “Tree Against Hunger,” has helped sustain more than 20 million people in Ethiopia through drought, famine and conflict.

What happened: - Alabaster International will host ETCHED: An Immersive Gala Experience on Sept. 12 at Serendipity Labs Costa Mesa, which is serving as venue sponsor. - The gala will immerse guests in East African culture and tradition while raising funds for the nonprofit’s work with indigenous food-security crops. - The event is produced by Rachel Dares PR.

The details: - ETCHED will premiere Alabaster International’s enset mini-documentary and include a curated marketplace focused on the communities and agricultural knowledge behind the organization’s work. - The gala’s presenting sponsors are GAP Community and Novus Global. - Percipio Business Advisors is a silver sponsor, while the Glidden Family and Jobs Family are bronze sponsors. - Passed hors d’oeuvres and charcuterie will be paired with sweet and savory selections from Queen Isabella’s Bakery and additional offerings from Mariachi Bakery. - RIKI Spirits, Three Spirit and Recess will support cocktails and beverage selections. - Delicious by VA will provide Dubai chocolate parting gifts. - Mendir Fellowship will perform live, and DJ Pepboy Entertainment will provide music. - Idea Tree Advisory is sponsoring printed event materials. - The silent auction will feature experiences including a two-night Orlando getaway, dining experiences and wellness packages. - Auction sponsors include Oasis Gold Spike, Rokka Grill & Whiskey Bar, Descanso Restaurant, Forever Beaumore, Visage Laser & Skin Care and additional anonymous sponsors. - The main event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. - Legacy Admission begins at 4 p.m. and includes VIP red carpet interviews with Inspired Journal founder Rosslyn Castro, a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony hosted by Jebena Joy Cafe, early marketplace access, a photo opportunity with Alabaster International founder and CEO Shannon Fernando-Rubera and curated VIP gift bags. - General Admission is $100, Impact Admission is $150 and Legacy Admission is $200. - Tickets must be purchased in advance, and no tickets will be sold at the event.

Between the lines: - The gala is also a showcase for Alabaster International’s model of building community-led solutions rather than dependency. - Fernando-Rubera’s humanitarian and medical background shapes the organization’s focus on linking hunger, water access, livelihoods and health. - In 2023, Fernando-Rubera and local partners helped secure the first agreement between Ethiopia and Kenya to share enset for research and development. - After years of approvals and collaboration with local experts, Kenya produced its first successful enset harvest in 2026. - Fernando-Rubera said the harvest represented “hope, dignity, and the possibility that communities facing drought could one day become food secure.” - Alabaster’s Enset Food Security Initiative was named a Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action in 2024.

What's next: - Proceeds from ETCHED will support Alabaster International’s enset program and help expand cultivation, equip women farmers with resources and increase income opportunities. - A limited number of tickets remain available before the Sept. 12 event. - Alabaster International says its broader work will continue centering local knowledge and women’s leadership in underserved and conflict-affected regions.

The bottom line: - ETCHED is part fundraiser, part cultural showcase, and part proof point for a food-security strategy built around women farmers and a climate-resilient crop.