The tiny country of Rwanda is beautiful. Trapped between Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda is a country of green hills, mighty volcanos, dense forests, and the vast Lake Kivu. Known as the “land of a thousand hills”, its population of 11.7 million is squeezed into 26,338 km2 of land. Rwanda has experienced its share of trauma and … [Read more...]
How fairtrade coffee supports the DRC
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is arguably Africa’s most rich and diverse country with vast mineral reserves, highly fertile land, beautiful scenery, and vibrant wildlife. It is also a country plagued with conflict and unrest. The DRC has a traumatic history of violence and war, which has had a disastrous impact on the country’s population and economy. The Congolese … [Read more...]
Kaldi’s goats discover coffee in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. It was discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi in the 11th century. Kaldi’s goats ate some coffee cherries and became energised and as a result, Kaldi gave the cherries a try and was delighted to experience the same effect. Kaldi reported his findings to the abbot of the local monastery, who made a drink with the cherries and found that … [Read more...]
Ethical Coffee Part 1: How to drink a cuppa that matters
On the journey towards regenerative living you transition from consumer to conserver. You want all your shopping to serve a greater purpose. Where does it come from, how was it produced, how were the workers treated? How can us coffee drinkers ensure that our drink or purchase is as close to harmless as possible? There are different criteria here – organic, shade-grown and … [Read more...]