Decaf Rwanda Nyamyumba Natural

This natural processed coffee was dried at Nyamyumba washing station from an all Bourbon variety lot produced by members of the all-women Tuvemubukene Cooperative in Rwanda’s Western Province. The cooperative was started in 2015 by 30 women with the goal of lifting themselves out of poverty. In fact the name they selected for their group, Tuvemubukene, literally means “to get out of poverty” in the Kinyarwanda language.

Cooperative members are coffee farmers who found that the revenue from coffee alone wasn’t enough to support themselves and their families throughout the year. In order to diversify and increase their incomes, they joined forces to provide training for members to begin basket weaving and tailoring as additional sources of income. The group also founded a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA), which helps members save money and apply for loans to meet their needs.

Now Tuvemubukene has more than 65 members, and the women’s cooperative has become known for both their high quality coffee and for their socially sustainable approach to coffee production in this region.

The Nyamyumba washing station has worked with partners to help install solar panels that are off the electrical grid. They’ve also mapped carbon emissions in their coffee supply chain and are starting projects to reduce their emissions by facilitating a transition from inorganic to organic fertilizer and further improve waste water management. They’re also working with Trade in Space to map deforestation in the supply chain so that they can reduce deforestation and improve forested areas.