You can make a huge difference in the life of Rwandans. Coffee is their major crop; buying Rwandan coffees directly helps Rwandans as they work to strengthen their economy, and improve their lives & families.
Lets get to know Rwanda
Rwanda has been producing coffee for generations. There are thousands of small family coffee farms all across Rwanda, growing coffee. Many people are now involved in helping Rwandans to develop a livable wage from coffee farming. The president of Rwanda has coined a phrase, "Trade, not Aid" and that makes so much sense. If you have some connection to the the Rwandan people, or you just want to help, please buy Rwandan coffees. They are among the best in the world.
Some considerations for why Rwandan coffees are a good choice:
Some considerations for why Rwandan coffees are a good choice:
- Rwanda has a history of social strife between groups; a stable economy is important to avoid future problems
- It is rare that a person can make a direct difference in another country; but buying Rwandan Coffees does just that!
- Rwanda has a mostly rural population; coffee and tea are the primary means of income for most of the farmers
- 90% of the population works in agriculture
- The high altitude, tropical location, and volcanic soils make for ideal conditions for growing gourmet coffees
- Rwandans are making significant efforts to upgrade the infrastructure of the country including water management
- Climate Change will put pressure on coffee plants and reduce yields. This can affect tropical countries the most.
Company Focus: Coffees of Grace
There are many coffee companies in Rwanda, and we will be profiling many of them over time. But we wanted to start with Coffee of Grace, a coffee business started by Grace Hightower de Niro. Grace visited Rwanda and was impressed with how hard the people were working, and how much they need their coffees to succeed In addition, Grace found that Rwandans placed a lot of value on sustainability, Fair Trade, and Ethical sourcing in general. Women are highly involved in the coffee business in Rwanda. You can learn more about Coffee of Grace at their website, CoffeeOfGrace.com.