Congo SOPACDI Women's Project Fairtrade Organic

These specific offerings come from a group of 51 pygmy women who live and farm in the villages of Mishebere and Ruhunde in the Kahele territory. Historically, Pygmy people have faced terrible discrimination and disenfranchisement, including being forced into slavery and/or low-paying work. SOPACDI has started this project to source and keep separate coffee from this group of growers in order to provide them a better income from specialty coffee as well as more financial independence and autonomy. The producers each own an average of 0.5 hectares and deliver coffee in cherry form to the washing station. There is a price premium paid directly to these women farmers to use as they see fit.

Solidarité Paysanne pour la Promotion des Actions Café et Développement Intégral (SOPACDI) is a 1st grade cooperative group based in the provinces of North and South Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). SOPACDI was founded in 2001 but due to turmoil in the region, production could not begin until 2008. Peace and stability has returned, allowing the cooperative to blossom from 19 founding members to a membership that now totals over 5,300 producers. SOPACDI’s members are grouped into 43 “cells” spread across 8 sectors in eastern Congo. Women make up 29% of the membership, and they were Fairtrade certified in 2011.

Region: Ngozi

Elevation: 1650-1950 masl

Varietal:  Bourbon                                                           

Processing: Natural - Raised Bed Drying

Tasting Notes: Molasses, Dark Chocolate, Stone Fruit