Turihamwe

The story

Turihamwe was founded in 2018-2019 by a group of seven women coffee farmers in the Ngozi Province of Burundi. The collective, known as Turihamwe Turashobora, pooled their savings and premiums earned through JNP Coffee to build the country's first washing station fully owned and operated by women. This initiative was established to allow the producers to take direct control over their coffee's quality and their position within the supply chain.

Challenges

Women in the region face significant cultural barriers regarding property ownership and equal access to education. Additionally, many contributing farmers manage very small plots of land, often consisting of only 25 to 30 trees.

Innovations

The collective established Burundi's first women-owned washing station, enabling them to manage their own processing and quality control. They utilize a business model focused on gender equity and reinvesting premium earnings to scale production.