Rwanda - Nyampinga Women's Co-op Washed

APRICOT • MEDJOOL DATE • MARZIPAN

COUNTRY | Rwanda
REGION | Nyaruguru, South Rwanda
PRODUCER | Nyampinga Women's Cooperative
ALTITUDE | 1700-2000 MASL
PROCESS | Washed
VARIETY | Bourbon

ABOUT THE PRODUCER + COFFEE

Nyampinga Women’s Cooperative is named for the Kinyarwanda word that means “beautiful women, both inside and out”. The group was founded in 2013 when the women came together to access agronomic training and quality control. Nyampinga cooperative operates its own washing station in South Rwanda where members’ coffee is processed with the utmost care to preserve the region’s high-quality coffee potential.  

One cooperative program, Premium Sharing Rewards, rewards members with points for attending training sessions and implementing what they’ve learned on their farms. With these points, farmers can purchase rewards from a catalog of items that the cooperative decided on together. The members decided on the program to encourage further training, technical assistance, and implementation of new skills.

Cherries are selectively handpicked and pulped in a mechanical pulper with a density grader that divides coffee into 3 grades by weight. Following pulping, the coffee is fermented, then washed through a flotation channel, and graded by density.  

Parchment is laid on raised beds to dry. In addition to inspecting for visual defects, workers regularly turn drying parchment to ensure even drying. They also cover parchment to protect it from the midday sun and any rain.  

Brew up a cup, and enjoy it with an album that bridges geographic, genre, and generational boundaries: