Beanology

We've been buying for the last five years from Emmanuel, who is both President of Coopac Cooperative and Sacof. He works primarily in the Kivu/Western part of Rwanda, which has always been our favorite area.

Here is a translated testimonial from one of the many many small producers that delivers into Kigeyo. It was translated directly from Kirwanda into English by a Kirwanda and French speaker, so not edited by us.

"My name is Dusabemariya Helene, a widow with five children. I started coffee production with my late husband who inherited the plantation from his late uncle. It was difficutl for us to find buyers for our coffees and the coffee that we produced was not of good quality. It was not easy to plan our future especially after his death. Fortunately SACOF started business and began giving me enough organic fertilizer to enrich the soild in order to produce more coffee and get enough income. My children now go to school through the support of SACOF. Through the goats that I received from SACOF as a gift, the production of coffee has much improved and as result my life changed."

The bulk of Rwandan coffee is sold as ordinary, which is unwashed and not a very clean natural. Premium prices like that paid for this coffee produce both superior cups and allow farmers to live and prosper in a manner that commodity coffee will and can not for the small farmer.

for an additional look atvideo on Coopac Coffee watch this video.

More info on Coopac from www.Coopac.com:

"Coopac was established in April of 2001 with 1100 memebers aiming to regenerate the coffee sector in the Gisenyi region of Lake Kivu. The initial objectives was to take advantage of the excellent natural resources in our region and focus on producing the highest quality coffee for the gourmet market so as to gain higher returns for our collective efforts thereby increase the well being of all our members. COOPAC coffee Prices has been steadily climbing in recognition of the quality improvements in turn the well being of its members has drastically improved through FairTrade initiatives that guarantee the farmers get their fair share. COOPAC went on to cr.onstruct the Nyamwenda washing station in 2003 with partial grant, partial credit. Today, some 50 washing stations dot the northern lake landscape and CCOPAC has achieved FLO certification. The membership in 2004 had risen to 1,500 members. Currently that number stands at 2,198 members from the six areas of Ack, Ubuzima, Tuzamurane, Kopabm, Abakundakurima and Abanyamurava, and exported 12 containers of Fair Trade certified coffee.

COOPAC is currently promoting and providing shade tree saplings and agroforestry education to all its members so as to adhere to strict organic practices with ongoing assistance provided to fair trade community based initiatives which has so far enabled in the construction of schools, health-care clinics, roads and bridges as well as local women and youth development programs."