Women's Crafted Lot - DR Congo Kalehe

Region: Idjwi Island, Kivu
Producer: Rebuild Women’s Hope
Altitude: 1500 - 2000 masl
Variety: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai
Process: Washed
Notes: Pomelo, Miso, Panela

We are so excited to announce the launch of our new line of coffee dedicated to honor the hard-working women throughout every process of the coffee industry, from bean to bag. Our Women-Crafted Lot will highlight women-owned farms and co-ops that not only seek to employ more women, but to uplift, educate, and support those often taken advantage of. Our first feature for this new line comes from Rebuild’s Women Hope, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

About Rebuild Women’s Hope:

RWH is a cooperative led by women coffee farmers located on Idjwi Island in Lake Kivu on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. Congolese native Marcelline Budza founded RWH in 2013 and has since won many Human Rights awards, including the Public Peace Prize in 2020. Currently employing over 2,200 women, RWH’s mission is to produce specialty quality coffee while empowering women and raising the standard of living for its members. 

Coffee sales empower the RWH cooperative to bring about many impactful changes to the community. In recent years, these changes have included the installation of seven water pumps that ensure the members of RWH and the nearby villages have access to clean, running water, plus access to life-saving healthcare with the building of the Maternity and Pediatric Medical Center, and even the establishment of a Women’s Center, which helps teach women additional trade and business skills for the off-season and offers legal advice to help women defend their rights.

RWH has shown that when we come together to support, uplift and provide help for those in need we can do amazing things for our community. From bean to bag, let’s spread our love for coffee throughout the industry, from the people growing and hand picking the cherries to those that brew your cup.

To learn more about Rebuild Women's Hope, visit: https://www.rebuildwomenshopedrc.org/our-story