Did you know that International Coffee Day is right around the corner? This year, it falls on September 29th and we’re celebrating with our very good friends at Kula Project. How you ask?
We’ll be taking part in their September Coffee Day Campaign to help raise funds to support 100,000 coffee trees. Not only will these trees help better our environment, but they will also help support female entrepreneurs in Rwanda. Follow along for a peek into what it takes for you to enjoy that morning cup o’ joe and to learn how you can join the cause!
Let’s start with some background. Kula Project embarked on a journey with one thing in mind—creating opportunities to ensure a better future for all. They have made it their mission to cultivate empowerment through entrepreneurial fellowships that are accessible to families in villages spread across East Africa. They believe that poverty is not only a result of a lack of
Rwanda is called the “land of a thousand hills” and acres of these lands are home to (ever-so-fruitful) coffee trees—making coffee the chief crop. Kula Project sprouted from the desire to start working in these communities after they met family after family that explained the impact that could be made if they were able to grow more, better coffee, and
We spoke with the Kula team to get down to the nitty-gritty of how coffee is actually made. From planting to harvesting to processing all the way to roasting and brewing, there are many steps that need to be taken to make the coffee you might be sipping on right now.
It all starts with the planting of the seed (pun intended). Coffee seeds do best when they’re planted during the wet season—this allows for the roots to thrive in the freshly watered soil. Once the trees grow strong enough to bear fruit, these coffee cherries turn a vibrant red when they are ready to be picked from the tree.
Now that the “cherries” have been harvested, it’s time to allow for the seeds to dry out in the sun. Once they are dry, they are brought to water-filled fermentation tanks where they soak for 12 to 48 hours before being washed. After they are rinsed, they are then left spread out on drying tables or floors so that they can spend some more time drying under the sun. Et violà you are left with the coffee beans most of us have come to adore the aroma of!
It turns out that coffee seeds take a full three years to grow into mature fruit-bearing trees and these trees can produce coffee cherries that can provide income to the villages for up to 30 years!
What a process! We’re sure you are feeling just as grateful as we are for all those cups of coffee right about now. If you would like to support coffee farms and women-owned business in Rwanda with us, here are a few ways that you can get involved:
#1—TRY KULA COFFEE
Not only is it delicious, but 100% of your purchase directly funds the families that grow it!
#2—CHECK OUT THE KULA MARKET
You can find beautiful and handmade Uzumati Ceramics, Kalita ceramic coffee grinders, mugs and freshly ground coffee of course!
“Our dream after completing the fellowship is to use our coffee business as a long-term investment that will help improve the welfare of our family and eventually hire others and create more jobs in our community.” – Damalis and Jerome
#3—JOIN US AND DONATE
A percentage of each sale we make this month will go to Kula Project to help meet their goal. So if you choose to go green with us this month, you will also be supporting our goal!
Follow our September partnership to see what we will achieve together! Find us @AvocadoMattress and @KulaProject #avocadogreengiving
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