| About Rwandan Coffee To Go |
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The Rwandan genocide was the slaughter of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus mostly done by two extremist Hut militia, the Interahamwe and the Impuzamugambi, during a period of 100 days in 1994. The tragedy crippled the Rwandan people and the nation as a whole. Politically, economically, and socially, Rwanda was in shambles as her people had been heartlessly slaughtered in the name of ethnic cleansing. Countless men, women, and children lost loved ones and struggled as the economic ramifications of the genocide began to appear.
Despite the atrocities of the genocide, the Rwandan People are resilient and are beginning to rebuild their lives. Coffee is proving to play a significant role in the renewal of this tattered country. Rwanda's countryside is perfect for growing and cultivating coffee and the Rwandan people are taking advantage of these conditions.
Thirty thousand independant coffee growers climb the hills, tend the soil, and carry the beans on their shoulders down to cooperative village wash stations. The two best varieties of beans are separated, washed and meticulously tested for export. Their destination is miles away in America. The villages are scarred by one of history's worst cases of genocide. 800,000 people were slaughtered 14 years ago, but the pride of the dedicated and determined Rwandans has made a miracle happen. There is optimism in the air, and forgiveness and reconciliation can be felt throughout the land.
Leaders in reconciliation are Anglican Bishop John Rucyahana and his wife Mrs. Harriet Rucyahana.
Sales from the Land of a Thousand Hills coffee in the U.S. not only provide platforms for Rwandan coffee growers to forgive one another; but also bring together widows from the Twa, Tutsi and Hutu ethnic groups. Known as Inyakurama or Trinity, over 150 of these widows are working hard to restore their lives emotionally, spiritually and economically. Their hard work allows them to receive Microfinance loans to start small businesses, which in many cases mean the difference between a sustainable life and death. |
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