Tastes like blood orange, rose, sweet toffee

COUNTRY:  Rwanda
PROVINCE:  Northern Province
DISTRICT:  Gakenke District
SECTOR:  Coko Sector
WASHING STATION:  Mbilima
ELEVATION:  2,070m above sea level
VARIETY:  Red Bourbon
PROCESSING:  Washed
FARMERS:  95 female cooperative members
WASHING STATION OWNER:  Dukunde Kawa Cooperative
IMPORTER:  Melbourne Coffee Merchants
RELATIONSHIP LENGTH:  Since 2008

Out of all the coffee we source, few offerings make an impact as significant as our women’s coffee microlots from Rwanda, as they are key in securing financial independence to countless women across the country. This special offering was produced using coffee cherry grown by 95 women who own small farms in the hills surrounding Mbilima washing station, the largest and busiest of three washing stations owned by the Dukunde Kawa Cooperative.

Unlike most coffee-producing countries, where a farmer’s land size is used as a measure of scale, farms in Rwanda are often very small, and as a result production capability is measured by the number of trees a farmer tends to. The majority of women who contributed to this lot own a couple of hundred trees, planted on one tenth of a hectare of land, along with subsistence food crops like maize, beans and sorghum and livestock like cows, goats and chickens.

Many of the women who contributed to this lot are also members of Rambagirakawa, a women’s alliance within Dukunde Kawa that was formed to advocate for support and resources for female coffee producers. Through collaboration with both Rambagirakawa and international buyers, Dukunde Kawa has assisted the women in processing and marketing their coffees as a separated ‘Women’s Coffee’ lot, which earns them an additional bonus payment on top of the quality premium all cooperative members receive. To distinguish their coffee and ensure it is processed separately, the women have organised to deliver cherry to the washing station on certain days of the week. While this lot was processed at Mbilima washing station, members of Rambagirakawa may also deliver to its sister washing stations, Ruli and Nkara, depending on where they live.

Established in 2012, Rambagirakawa is one of Dukunde Kawa’s most inspiring success stories. The association was founded by Odette Murekatete, who hoped to band the co-op’s women together to have a louder voice within Dukunde Kawa. Many of Rambagirakawa’s founding members were widowed by the 1994 genocide and already relied upon each other for farming and financial advice — by initiating an official association within the cooperative, they widened their reach and secured ongoing funding for their projects. The result is an empowered and ambitious alliance of women, whose ever-expanding activities focus on creating opportunity and success for the women and children in their community.

The group is open to all of the female members of Dukunde Kawa and has grown to 304 members. Besides selling their coffees as separated lots, members have wholeheartedly pursued additional income opportunities, like basket weaving and embroidery, to develop greater economic independence. The funds generated by the sale of these crafts are significant, and have become one of the co-op’s five main sources of income. Using their share of the profits generated, around half of Rambagirakawa’s members have been able to undertake upgrades to their homes, while most members have also invested them in the education of their children and grandchildren.

Outside of coffee, the women regularly come together socially and to work other projects and many have developed greater confidence within the cooperative and the community at large as a result. For example, the team of dancers and singers who welcome us to Dukunde Kawa every year, work on the songs and routines in the weeks leading up to the period when most coffee buyers visit. Over the years, they have become quite well-known in the region of Ruli, and have even been invited to perform at official ceremonies in town. Since our first visit, the routines have become more intricate and complex, yet the smiles and joy we witness have never felt forced. When we mentioned this to the troupe’s leader (also named Odette, Odette Mukeshimana) on our most recent trip, she agreed with our sentiment and told us it’s because when performing she’s “manifesting happiness for herself and she expresses it through dance.”