Africa Coffee Archive
Ethical Addictions purchased it’s first Africa coffee from the Machare farm on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
This journal entry features the first three issues of the Daily Espresso that were published in 2009. Reading these articles you will discover some of the projects that Ethical Addictions has been involved with in Tanzania and the difference it has made to the villagers being paid fairly for their coffee.
Table of Contents
March 2009
At the beginning of January we had a discussion in the office (our new Elephant House) about how we were going of-set our carbon footprint for 2008. After discussing a number of options I decided to speak to the farm manager at the Machare farm on Kilimanjaro to see if she had any ideas. She suggested that we buy stoves for the families who live in Orera Village. Each stove will save half a ton of carbon a year but more importantly hugely contribute to the health and life for a family. Have a look at the before and after pictures we have just received.
This is Justina Mrema and her family (her youngest ( a daughter) was born on the 6th of January. We are delighted to say that we have just bought 16 stoves to offset our carbon. I don’t say this to brag about how great we are but more to say that we can all help contribute to one family at a time.
We set out EA in order to drink and supply some of the worlds best coffees, alongside this we genuinely wanted to make a difference in some of the poorest parts of the world. As a small independent company we can only make small, but very real, steps to making a difference.
Following last year’s hydro-electric project and this year’s stoves project the real difference is starting to show. We’re hoping that through continued growth and customer support we’ll see a significant, sustainable difference in the Orera Village and other farms we work with. If you want to talk about how you can help make a difference than give us a call.
Did you know?
We have purchased the whole of the Orera Village’s 2009 coffee crop and it will be available online as “Mountain Top” coffee very soon.
This will provide for the 600 villagers a guaranteed income at a price higher than they could have hoped to have achieved before and a commitment to future crops.
July 2009
As some of you are aware; we set out on this Ethical Addictions adventure with the hope that we could enjoy some of the worlds best coffees whilst also being able to make a genuine difference to some of the poorer parts of the world. Probably the most exciting venture so far has been working alongside the Orera Village on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.
The Orera Village consists of 150 households and is situated just below the rainforest nestling at 6100 feet up the mountain. Being the highest village on Kili and due to its isolated location it isn’t connected to mains water or the electricity network. So far we have been able to assist the village with its three major projects.
The first one was in 2005 with the hydro-electric project. 10 hydroelectric units that produce 500 watts will provide renewable electric for 15 homes. Not only has this system provided electricity but the added benefit is the piping system which which can divert to water for irrigation for the coffee trees and vegetables. This has reduced the water usage by 98% which means considerable less soil erosion but will mean that water is available all year round for drinking.
The second project was helping to purchase cooking stoves for the village. The homes have been burning wood inside their huts for cooking and heating. The amount of smoke created by the fires inside the homes is equivalent to smoking forty cigarettes a day.
The stoves will also mean that 1000 litres of Kerosene will be saved per month – the money saved will go towards paying for school fees.
The third project has just arrived! When we were last out in Africa we visited with the village elders of Orera and in discussion with them we agreed to purchase their entire next crop of coffee. The main problem for small villages producing coffee is getting a guaranteed sale at a price that makes it a viable proposition. The shipment of 719 kgs of Orera village coffee has just arrived – for us this is a very exciting day. With much anticipation we cupped the
first batch. We were shocked at just how good the Tanzania Kilimanjaro coffee tastes. Shocked because even though the geography is perfect, we weren’t certain about the first years crop. The taste was dark and smooth with a velvety cocoa and caramel finish that was up there with the very best we have tasted.
For those us us who run small business’ we know how tough it can be, but having the Orera coffee arrive goes a long way to making it all worthwhile. The adventure continues…
Due to the small quantities Mountain Top coffee is only available online.
November 2009
A huge thank you to all those who contacted us and wished us well on our recent trip out to the African coffee farms in Tanzania and the charity work in Uganda (more about Uganda in next months newsletter).
As many of you who partner with us (that’s you our much loved customers – you know who you are!) We hope to make a difference in the developing world as well as sourcing some of its best speciality coffee. Now we aren’t always sure that we are having an impact. However a couple of emails from a friend on Kili helped us see what difference Ethical Addictions and those who supply the coffee are making. I will let some of the villagers from the Manoshi Village tell you in their own (translated) words.
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This is just a flavour of the letters we received from the farmers coffee. I hope like us your thrilled that together we are making a difference.
