ROR Coffee Solutions, a locally owned coffee business, embarked on an admirable initiative during Women’s Month. At an International Women’s Day event on Friday, March 8th, they announced the important partnership between ROR Coffee and a Rwandan farm led by women.
ROR Coffee hosted Esther Mukangango, a female farmer from Nyarguru, Rwanda, to tell her remarkable story of resilience and triumph. It was also an initiative that solidified ROR Coffee’s commitment to ethical and sustainable practices and women’s empowerment.
Esther Mukangango talked about the inspiring journey of 125 women uniting with a common goal to fight poverty by saving and lending money to each other. Together, they formed a union called Nyampinga – which translates to “beautiful women in and out.” The women of Nyampinga are recognised for their remarkably high level of cooperative management skills, which enabled them to collect substantial capital and purchase coffee farms. Their impactful movement earned them global recognition, which led to support from more than three local and international banks to provide these women farmers with working capital for coffee harvesting and processing. Furthermore, with partnership and assistance from non-profit Sustainable Growers, Nyampinga is able to highlight the visibility of women coffee farmers from seed to cup.
In the past, women like Esther had never tasted nor had access to coffee in Rwanda, as it was seen as a man’s drink. Esther has come a long way since she inspired the audience by expressing pride in owning coffee farms and exporting coffee to the USA, Europe, and the Middle East today. This opportunity allows Esther and several other women farmers to afford primary needs, such as sending their children to school, paying for health insurance, and contributing to a pension scheme for the elderly. This reality hit home for the guests at the event.
ROR Coffee’s support allows Esther and many others like her to survive and one day thrive. ROR Coffee revealed that a percentage of every product sold will go back to Esther and the Nyampinga cooperative, contributing to a brighter future for them and their communities.
Various freshly brewed hot coffee imported directly from Esther’s farm in Rwanda was served at the event. They used their efficient electric roasters, which were implemented to reduce their emissions in line with their sustainability goal of cutting carbon emissions by 20% by 2025. Guests were also treated to an exclusive glimpse of ROR’s collaboration with Frothing Friday’s electric vehicle fleet, utilised for sales, QC, and technical purposes – working hand-in-hand to propel them towards their sustainability goals. They also highlighted their fully compostable coffee bags, capsules, and cups across their product portfolio to reduce waste.
ROR Coffee’s commitment to fair trade and partnership with Rwandan women farmers marks a significant milestone in its commitment to supporting and empowering women. Events like these should serve as a beacon, inspiring others in the industry to think about how they can, too, make a real impact in rich coffee bean regions while gaining financial and sustainable success.
