‘Abakundakawa’ means ‘those who love coffee’ and is a cooperative that was
established in 1999. Since then, the coop has made significant and lasting
changes within their local community, including providing all members access to health insurance and cows since 2007.
When a cow has a calf, it is given to a different member. This both improves
family nutrition and provides the potential for a small additional income by way
of selling excess milk.
The cooperative is currently planning to build a third washing station for
members who currently have to travel the furthest to reach one of the two existing stations. In addition, members have opted to use some of the cooperative’s Fairtrade premium to build a community centre, which they use for meetings and social events, such as weddings. The cooperative has also contributed to supplying water to the
local secondary school and health centre, and to renovations to the main local
road.
Rushashi is one of two coffee washing stations connected to the cooperative.
The members are mainly female as the coop started as a way to support singleparent families. The northern province is where most of Rwanda’s coffee is
grown and is warm and dry. Red sand covers everything on the way up there.
established in 1999. Since then, the coop has made significant and lasting
changes within their local community, including providing all members access to health insurance and cows since 2007.
When a cow has a calf, it is given to a different member. This both improves
family nutrition and provides the potential for a small additional income by way
of selling excess milk.
The cooperative is currently planning to build a third washing station for
members who currently have to travel the furthest to reach one of the two existing stations. In addition, members have opted to use some of the cooperative’s Fairtrade premium to build a community centre, which they use for meetings and social events, such as weddings. The cooperative has also contributed to supplying water to the
local secondary school and health centre, and to renovations to the main local
road.
Rushashi is one of two coffee washing stations connected to the cooperative.
The members are mainly female as the coop started as a way to support singleparent families. The northern province is where most of Rwanda’s coffee is
grown and is warm and dry. Red sand covers everything on the way up there.