💖 HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 💖
This year we want to bring focus to all the female producers and farmers in the coffee world!
Last June we went to Rwanda, with our trusted import partner DR Wakefield, to meet the wonderful team at Kinini Coffee who we have bought coffee off for many years now, during our trip they took us to visit the incredible women at KCRS Women’s Co-op, whose stories we were really touched by.
As many people might not know, the people in Rwanda went through a heartbreaking and trying time when over 800,000 people were killed during the genocide in the spring of 1994. During this time the coffee industry collapsed as the violence and chaos disrupted agricultural activities and destroyed infrastructure; coffee farms were abandoned, and the farmers either fled or were killed. Following the genocide, Rwanda faced the challenge of rebuilding the economy and society from the ground up.
The women from the KCRS Co-op have played a huge part in this story, most of them being widows or orphans due to the genocide. With help and guidance from Jacquie Turner at Kinini Coffee, they formed the co-op a little over 10 years after the genocide ended, with the hope of rebuilding family farms, providing opportunities for other women in the coffee industry and with a common love and passion for coffee, of course.
Today the organisation has over 2000 members across the coffee growing regions in Rwanda and have made huge leaps to promote ethical and sustainable farming practices which protect the environment and promote long-term health of the coffee industry. They work with their members and other farmers to educate them on the best producing and farming techniques, so that they can produce incredible crops year after year!
As well as empowering female producers, the KCRS have also been involved in many community projects. They have established a savings and credit cooperative helping people in their local area with their finances, a daycare centre for the children of their members to attend, creating a safe and nurturing environment for the children, as well as many other community projects.
We are really excited to be getting a new crop of green beans delivered soon from the KCRS Women’s Co-op, and we can’t wait to share it with you all!
