Sometimes, behind a cup of coffee, there is a story far greater than the coffee itself.
At the exhibition, I stopped at a stand from Rwanda. Bags of coffee and green coffee beans were arranged across the table, while a woman smiled as she spoke about their products.
Behind her were the words:
“Strong Women, Exceptional Coffee.”
As we talked, I learnt that more than 70 per cent of the people involved in this enterprise are women, and the land they work on belongs to them. Their work is also based on a model of collective co-operation.
It immediately reminded me of a restaurant I had visited in Granada, Nicaragua, where women played an active role not only in the work itself, but also in running the place. Thousands of miles separate Granada from Rwanda, yet in both places I encountered an example of women building economic independence.
But the story of this enterprise does not end with coffee.
They explained that part of the profits goes towards education: helping those who have not had the opportunity to study, supporting children so they can attend school, and helping to build schools in areas where educational facilities are lacking.
They have promised to email me more detailed information about these projects. Once I receive it, I intend to write separately about this part of their work, with more detail and documentation.
Yet even from that brief conversation, one image stayed with me:
If the proceeds from coffee can help a child reach a classroom, then that coffee bean is no longer simply a product; it has become an opportunity.
As I walked away from the stand, I looked once more at the words behind the woman:
“Strong Women, Exceptional Coffee.”
This time, I knew that behind those words stood land, work, independence — and perhaps the future of children whose path to school is being opened.
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