Jessica Allgaier, the Creative Projects Coordinator for Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee™, recently shared with SustainLane about their "Drink Coffee. Do Good" community development projects in Rwanda... "Our coffee is tended by hand in Rwanda. We invest in this brew from the farmers who harvest the beans in Bukonya, Rwanda to the artisan Roaster who small batch roasts the beans in Roswell, Georgia. Before our first batch of beans even made it to the U.S., the company’s founder, Jonathan Golden, learned about the genocide of 1994 and asked Bishop John Rucyahana of Rwanda, a leader in reconciliation, how he could help. “We have good coffee,” Bishop John said. So Jonathan bought a roaster from EBay and purchased several bags of green coffee beans from Bukonya, Rwanda, a northern region hard hit by the genocide. Jonathan had an inkling: What if you could brew excellent coffee that stands for justice and community? From the idea that you could drink coffee and do good, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee™ was launched.
By purchasing green coffee beans directly from the Bukonya Cooperative and paying coffee growers a just, Living Wage, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee™ gives farmers in Rwanda the opportunity to provide for themselves and their families. Hutus and Tutsis, the once warring people groups, are now working together in the coffee fields, learning to forgive, and are creating sustainable jobs and community by restoring the relationships that once divided their country.
Land of a Thousand Hills also invests in community development projects. After building the Bukonya Coffee Washing Station to help increase the quality of beans and the price for which the farmers can sell their crop, we began microfinancing coffee bikes for safer and more efficient travel, started a shoe initiative, and are working to build a sustenance farm and soccer program for the village orphans.
Coffee is our business, but sustainability and reconciliation is our by-product. Our community projects are a focal point of our company, because together we are transforming a village. Our coffee propels our mission and stands alone as excellent Rwandan coffee that is certified organic, shade grown and fair trade.
Coffee, community and justice have come together. Hutus and Tutsis have come together. Rwanda and you can come together at Drink Coffee. Do Good. A Coffee Launch Kit is available for businesses or churches to help Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee™ fund micro lending projects, create opportunities for Hutu and Tutsi to work together that restores dignity, and builds safe places that promote reconciliation and construct platforms to hear the Gospel."
Do you buy Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee products, which help to support their projects in Rwanda? Write a Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee business review on SustainLane.
