Unfortunately, yesterday’s post on DAY 3 in Rwanda came a bit late and this one on DAY 4 will also be posted a bit late. The whole thing is not only because of a not always available internet connection, but also because of the “lifestyle”.
In Rwanda, everything takes a little longer, times are not taken so precisely. Sounds strange, but it’s not! Even coffeekult has to adapt to the pulse of the country. We don’t want to come up with clichés here, but the locals tell us this themselves time and again: an appointment is fixed, but it can take a while until it actually takes place.
What can you do about it? NOTHING! Just accept everything as it is, you can’t change it anyway!
And somehow you don’t want to change it either!
Even if it’s getting a little boring: You know – coffeekult starts the day with its own coffee! Why? See blog post DAY 3!
Today we have the honor of hosting Josias’s father with coffeekult coffee in RUTU (definitely Google it!). Peter is familiar with Rwandan coffee, but he clearly enjoyed the coffeekult coffee from Rwanda brewed in the French Press.
These are very personal moments for a roaster, and we are simply grateful for them. In case someone hasn’t noticed yet: COFFEE is our passion and what we burn for!
Then it’s – once again – off to the BOAT! Yesterday’s wave ride is forgotten, this time it’s a very leisurely 30-minute ride back to the Coocamu Cooperative. The name has been mentioned a few times here in the coffeekult blog, so here are some “Google coordinates” – in the form of an image. Somehow it’s very trendy right now to educate your customers in this way. This is also a way to establish a connection with the farmers, even if they are light-years away from a “personal KNOWING” in reality.
We’re doing it a little differently again: coffeekult is simply going there and seeing everything for ourselves. For us, that’s a genuine demonstration of interest and subsequently, a DIRECT TRADE. We can’t always do this, of course, because coffeekult sources green coffee from all over the world, but we make a great effort to do so!
Yes WHERE will it be? With the farmers, of course. The Coocamu Cooperative directly at Lake Kivu has exactly 368 members and coffeekult wants to pay a visit to some of them. The path leads us from the Coocamu Cooperative up a hill, along many banana trees and coffee plants. Admittedly – even as a Tyrolean you get a little sweaty here, because it is simply very humid. BUT you always have a sensational view back, directly on Lake Kivu. Up there we meet an employee of the Coocamu Cooperative, who is also a pastor. In the middle of a street, in the face of the surrounding poverty of the people, he pronounces a blessing – for the Coocamu Cooperative, coffeekult and the whole world. A very moving moment, one of many these days!
Elated we go down to the cooperative again, after very personal visits with the farmers. In a small “village store” we buy a few more “cookies”, a very welcome gift for the children who live around the cooperative, whose parents supply the coffee.
We as Europeans would perhaps describe this as “poverty”. People are wearing robes that they have certainly been wearing for weeks and even months, but with an absolute naturalness. It is always one’s own view and that from the outside that shapes one’s perception…. but actually that is the wrong perception. Normality is what prevails!
Different cultures, different ways of life, different languages – but fun and cheerfulness and a nice dance connect very quickly.
A little “shake-battle” with coffeeekult, with swinging hips and butts, lets you feel pure Rwandan joie de vivre.
Today is payday at the Coocamu Cooperative and so many farmers are on site. Many are bringing heavy sacks full of coffee cherries on bicycles or on their heads.
We are directly present at the more than sweaty transport: One farmer, for example, certainly has 30 kilograms “on his head”, the sweat runs down his neck and cheeks, but he looks happy.
It is weighed, then the red and partly green cherries land in the water bath, because the good ones stay at the bottom, the bad goods float on top. Tyroleans only know this from eggs! 🙂
coffeekult does not “control” here on site, but we want to know exactly who the farmers are, how they work and today’s wage payment shows us once again: DIRECT TRADE pays off for the people on site. We see directly where and how much money ends up with whom and that the farmers are paid correctly. That also makes you a little proud!
For us, coffee is not an anonymous product. coffeekult wants to show its customers exactly where the original product comes from: from very committed farmers who are proud of their product, but hardly know how and where it is processed.
There is again an incredibly delicious lunch for us, freshly prepared in the cooperative, with this typical and tasty kiwi lake fish and we end our visit to the Coocamu Cooperative with a classic group photo.
THANK YOU!
The coffeekult coffee from Rwanda comes from several cooperatives and so we continue by boat and then by car and in just 30 minutes we reach the Bwishaza cooperative in the Rutsiro district. There are just under 600 members here.
We are greeted by a very lively cooperative, because there is something going on everywhere. We see here the whole process of coffee preparation: it is diligently washed and then sorted out the coffee beans by hand according to quality criteria. On the raised beds are very fresh coffee cherries “chilling” in the sun, others have already caught a certain summer tan, they are already lying out to dry for 3 weeks.
coffeekult is keen to get in direct contact with the workers at the Bwishaza cooperative, we are curious about their view of the work and their very personal coffee fascination. One worker proudly tells us that she has been here for 9 years, since the start of this cooperative. And they always get coffee from the manager to taste, a great idea, we think!
With Immaculee and Josias, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty of coffee. After all, we’re not here for wild boat trips or adventure vacations, this is definitely work! At the
In der Bwishaza Cooperative , we’re examining the coffee bean processing and getting a tour of the treasures in the enormous warehouse.
Of course, we also have a few exciting coffee varieties packed. These we want to try for you as a “sample” first and then in the future – possibly – like to surprise once 🙂
