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Congo Coffee Project Update
By Beth Ann Caspersen, Quality Manager
It's been an exciting eight months since we launched the Congo Coffee Project. So far we’ve raised more than $13,000 for the Panzi Foundation!
- 2011 (September-December): $8,130
- 2012 (January-April): $5,092
We want to thank all of the amazing people (that means YOU!) that are helping us to make this happen!
**Help us achieve our goal for 2012: $17,000**
News
SOPACDI @ SCAA
I had the pleasure of meeting with Joachim Munganga of the SOPACDI coffee co-operative a few weeks ago in Portland, Oregon during the Specialty Coffee Association of America conference to talk about our business together, the ways in which Equal Exchange can contribute to the larger vision for the coffee co-operative, and to share our recent marketing initiatives. As many of you know, we created beautiful artwork for the Congo Coffee Project: packaging, t-shirts, webpage, and recently we placed an advertisement in Roast magazine to promote Congolese coffee. Joachim was really happy to see and learn about our work on behalf of the coffee farmers of SOPACDI.
We also invited Mr. Munganga to Seattle with us for a one-day Rural Agriculture Summit with the Eastern Congo Initiative. This meeting brought together coffee and cocoa industry professionals, global foundations and Congolese organizations (like SOPACDI) to discuss and exchange ideas around infrastructure and economic development in the DRC. We asked important questions of the attendees and spent time in small group activities to address issues of quantity, quality, social development and risk mitigation. I attended the small group that discussed quality and was able to contribute many of the experiences that we have had at Equal Exchange with coffee processing: training cuppers, inventory management through technology, encouraging the involvement of young people and highlighting the important role of women. I asked Joachim what he thought of the conference and he told me that it was a great experience, but that his favorite part of the event was that everyone participated. It was a great networking opportunity for Equal Exchange and SOPACDI, but like many things in the DRC, this is only the beginning of things to come.
We also made a quick guest appearance at the Equal Exchange Espresso bar at Ballard Market! There we met Meghan and Dominick, both of whom just happened to be wearing Congo Coffee t-shirts! Thanks for the delicious drinks, Team EEE!
Upcoming Equal Exchange Initiatives in the DRC
Quality Manager Beth Ann Caspersen will be headed to the Eastern Congo during the first few weeks in June to visit the SOPACDI coffee co-op and the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu. During her visit to SOPACDI, she will be conducting preliminary quality trainings to help the co-op identify future coffee cuppers and to do an in-depth training on Equal Exchange’s system for sourcing specialty coffee. Beth Ann will also head to Bukavu to visit the Panzi Hospital and to meet Dr. Mukwege (who recently won a Clinton Citizens Award.) More to come!
Connecting the Dots
Through this project, Equal Exchange has engaged with many important organizations working to create change in the DRC. We recognize the important role we play in bringing Congolese coffee to the market (and working on the ground to help to make change), but we can’t do it alone! Over the last eight months we have reached out to numerous organizations to connect the dots and get to know each other. Equal Exchange is buying, importing, roasting, packaging and selling a product that almost everyone loves: COFFEE! And there are many organizations on the ground in the DRC doing amazing work to change U.S. policy, improve education, create small businesses and support women, to just name a few of the efforts taking place. We believe that helping to build an economy through a product like coffee, will make change and by hooking in to the existing network we expand our network through joint knowledge and cross promotion that will help us to reach out to many different groups.
Here are a few initiatives you should check out:
"I AM CONGO"
Created by the Enough Project, this powerful video film series illustrates the hope, success and challenges in the DRC. The videos shed new light on the struggles in the DRC and it highlights five amazing people that are working toward change. We highly recommend it.
Run for Congo
If you like to walk or run and if you want to make change in the DRC you can join us at the Run for Congo event that will be hosted by Women for Women International this fall! We are putting together an Equal Exchange team of runners (and walkers) to participate in this annual 10K in Boston, MA, during Columbus Day weekend in October. Last year there were 59 runners (men and women) and we hope to have at least 10 more people to add to the list. We are in the initial planning stages for this annual event, so let us know if you want help volunteer or join our team! bacaspersen@equalexchange.coop (put Run for Congo in the subject line) Save the Date! October 8, 2012 @ 12 noon.
The Coffee Talk Box
We want to encourage you to get involved, but how can you as a consumer and activist tackle these difficult issues? We know that the situation in the DRC is complex, but we want to help you talk about it! In the coming months we will launch the Coffee Talk Box, a tool box that will provide you with information, action steps and coffee to guide you through these discussions. We want you to learn and share with others. The Equal Exchange Coffee Talk Box will provide you with current information and specific actions that you can take to be part of the change. Look for it soon!
Tell us About It
We want to hear from you! Let us know how you are making change with the Congo Coffee Project!
bacaspersen@equalexchange.coop |
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