FIRST CROP COFFEE

RWANDA RULI MOUNTAIN

BOURBON

2000 MASL

WASHED, SUN DRIED ON RAISED BEDS

STRAWBERRY, HONEY, LEMON, BROWN SUGAR

RULI MOUNTAIN COFFEE COMES FROM 2500 COFFEE FARMERS WHO LIVE IN SEVERAL
SMALL COMMUNITIES TUCKED INTO THE HILLS THAT SURROUND THE RULI WASHING
STATION. IN THIS REGION, FARMERS ARE TYPICALLY SMALL LANDHOLDERS WHO OWN
BETWEEN 75-200 COFFEE TREES. RULI COFFEE IS KNOWN FOR ITS SWEET FRUIT
FORWARD BEANS THAT SHOWCASE A BRIGHT ACIDITY, BALANCED PROFILE AND TEA-
LIKE BODY.

THE RULI MOUNTAIN WASHING STATION IS THE FIRST IN RWANDA TO HAVE A FEMALE
MANAGER, GLORIOUS. GLORIOUS WAS INITIALLY A FARMER DELIVERING COFFEE TO THE
WASHING STATION, BUT WAS EAGER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS AND
EVENTUALLY WORKED HER WAY UP TO BECOME THE MANAGER. SHE LOOKS AFTER 4
PERMANENT STAFF WHO ARE EMPLOYED THROUGH THE OFF SEASON ALSO. THE
PROFITS FROM THE WASHING STATION GO TOWARDS FUNDING THE FARM ABOVE THE
STATION AND THE KIRYAMO SCHOOL. BOTH THE SCHOOL AND THE FARM WERE BUILT
BY THE PROCEEDS FROM THE RULI MOUNTAIN WASHING STATION. THE CHURCH
DONATED THE LAND AND THE GOVERNMENT PAYS FOR THE TEACHERS, THE SCHOOL
NOW HAS 380 STUDENTS, BETWEEN 7 AND 15 YEARS OLD.

THE FARM ABOVE THE WASHING STATION HAS 25 SHEEP, 6 COWS AND 80 CHICKENS.
THE CHICKENS PROVIDE EGGS FOR THE LOCAL CHILDREN (AS THEY TYPICALLY LACK
PROTEIN IN THEIR DIETS, EACH CHILD IN THE REGION GETS ONE EGG PER DAY), THE
COWS PROVIDE MILK (EACH FAMILY IN THE AREA IS ALLOWED 2 LITRES PER DAY), AND
THE SHEEP ARE USED FOR THEIR WOOL, WHICH IS SOLD TO A US FASHION COMPANY AS
A TRANSPARENT AND ETHICAL WOOL OPTION. THE FARM IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
PART OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH MANY FAMILIES RELYING ON THE MILK AND EGGS.
WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH LAND OF A THOUSAND HILLS AND THEIR COFFEE FARMING
VILLAGES TO PROVIDE A LIVING WAGE, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE AND CLEAN WATER,
WHILE INVESTING IN THE CRAFT OF SPECIALTY COFFEE. FOR THE RULI FARMERS, A
SHEEP FARM WAS SET UP WITH PROCEEDS SUPPORTING ORPHANS AND A BASKET
WEAVING CO- OP WAS SET UP TO RAISE FUNDS TO PROVIDE SAFE ACCESS TO CLEAN
WATER.