Golden Raisin | Treacle | Pomegranate
Altitude | 2100 MASL
Process | Fully Washed
Variety | Red Bourbon
The Dukunde Kawa cooperative, based in Musasa, was set up in 2000 with the help of USAID's PEARL programme, an American initiative to help the country's rural communities recover from the effects of the the Rwandan civil war and genocide of 1994. The group comprises 1,100 farmers and they built their first washing station in 2003. 80% of the cooperative's farmers are women.
"Musasa" means "a place to make a bed" and "Dukunde Kawa" means "let's love coffee". There are clear signs that the focus on quality has improved these farmers' lives with many farmers more than doubling their income through work with the cooperative. There is a financial assistance system in place where farmers can take out small loans with low interest rates.
At the station, the cherries are depulped, sorted into three grades and fermented for 12 hours. They are soaked and then hand sorted, first on the pre-drying tables and then again on the drying tables, where they sit for 14 days with regular turning and sorting.
Enjoy and let's dukunde this kawa!