Newsletter: Back from Tanzania
Questions and comments back from Tanzania
Many of you sent me out to Tanzania with comments and questions – the villagers loved that they could hear direct from those who enjoy their coffee and we had some fun in translation of the questions!
Here are a few of their responses (I’ve paraphrased):
- What are your biggest joys and frustrations as a coffee farmer? – “Biggest joy is when we get paid! And biggest frustration is climate being so changeable and unreliable.”
- What options do farmers have when they don’t like the alternatives that buyers offer them? – “Once the coffee is grown, no option. We have to sell to whoever comes along. But relationship with Ian has changed that. Other things we grow to help sustain us include maize and bananas.”
- What help do they think we can offer?Do you drink coffee? – “Buying coffee at a good price and coming back every year.”
- Do you drink coffee?– “Yes!” (I knew the answer to this before I asked and it is ‘no’, they don’t really like it, and it s a valuable crop, but they wanted to be polite so answered ‘yes’. When I questioned them they just all laughed.)
More photos and little stories online soon
EA fund-matching meets £2,000 target to change lives in Uganda
We ran a campaign at the end of last year to match any funds raised by Amigos for their work in Uganda. We set a challenge of £2,000 and we did it!
Here’s their letter to us:
Dear Ethical Addictions,
Fantastic! Thanks so much, we really appreciate your kindness.
As I’m sure you’re aware, in January 40 new trainees will embark on a life-changing year at Kira Farm Development Centre. As well as acquiring vocational skills such as carpentry and tailoring, these precious young people will learn conservation farming techniques which radically increase crop yields. To complement these skills, the students will also be trained in the importance of hygiene, gender equality and conflict resolution. It really is a wide-reaching holistic course from which we’re seeing amazing results!
Early 2016 will also see the start of our new conservation farming groups, enabling communities to grow enough food to feed their families and have a surplus to sell. This means they will be able to pay for essentials such as medicine and children’s school fees.
Your incredibly generous donation has helped to make that happen, changing the lives of both individuals and communities, and for that we cannot thank you enough.
We love and appreciate your support in standing with us in this vital work.
We could not do this without you!
Final emails from Kira Farm students
It was so nice hearing from you it has been more privilege of being sponsored by you through Amigos. It is so exciting to know that you coming hope I get to meet you that will be so good. Am just counting days to going home but I fill so ready for home but I fill so ready for home.
I have been blessed with so many Skills am now making plans on how I am going to put them into better use. Once an amigos always an amigos that has kept me so relaxed because I know I will have people to consult about so many things. I will be looking forward to your travelling plans.
Yours, Dorcus.
How are you doing? I cannot believe this is my last email am writing to you before I leave Kira next month. I am counting weeks to going back home, my last weeks on Kira are going to be emotional,
With the business training I have been taken through at this end of my training I have been encouraged that even with little I can achieve something. My focus is now on how I am going to use specifically my building skill to see that I earn some money that can enable me do other things like carpentry and also helping out my family. I am saying building at first because there are so many building jobs in my village so for that I am so sure I have a ready market.
Thanks a lot for restoring hope into my life.leaving my friends and this wonderful environment of Kira Farm is not going to be easy.. There is a lot of positive changes that have happened in my life. I have new goals to achieve and I am so sure they are all achievable. I have skills and a life that has been transformed inside and out. I am now using these last weeks to draw out plans on how am going to see my goals become a reality.
Yours, Beckham.
Newsletter: New New New
Newsletter: Amigos
Kira Farm Training Centre
Ethical Addictions are thrilled to announce the sponsorship of two Kira Farm trainees for 2015 in Uganda through the amazing work of Amigos charity.
Kira Farm is a unique facility set in 22 acres of fertile land whereby Amigos is able to equip and train some of Uganda’s most vulnerable young people by enabling them to become self-sustainable and restore dignity to their lives.
It’s an amazing place that I’ve visited many times and witnessed first-hand the life-changing work they do. I’ve also sat through many, many long meetings and beautiful songs there!!
Hope Coffee
We have no more Hope Coffee due to the project being bought out (read more online).
However we are hopeful of new coffees next year as we are exploring new origins. Cameroon? Guatemala? Rwanda? Nicuragua?
Want to know more about changing a life?
Christmas
Our successful taster coffee selection sets are back and available to purchase now. (Wholesale pricing available)
Want to know more about changing a life
As individuals, the staff at EA all sponsor children through Amigos to ensure they can go to school – if you want to do something amazing this Christmas you won’t get a better opportunity than giving a child a real chance to transform their life – visit: www.amigos.org.uk
Wishing all our fab customers a Merry Christmas and a very happy new year.
Ian and EA team.
Rainforests, Coffee & Football
Summer 2014
An amazing and exhausting trip!
I was met by Athos in Sao Paulo then we travelled north into the mountains to Machado. I spent the next few days with the family, on the farm, in the rainforest, and watching Brazil record an historic 7-1 defeat – good job they still have fantastic coffee!
Crop
We talked about the crop this year how generally, because of drought, the harvests in Brazil will be low, but despite this, at Gerezim and Vira Mao they are expecting a very high quality Brazilian roast coffee. Cupping the early harvest it has scored extremely high into the speciality scale.
Both Isaltino and Athos also wanted to stress the importance of altitude and good farming for quality, frustrated by the lack of knowledge of other farmers and the poor quality being produced in lower parts of the Minas Gerais region – something we already know and appreciate about their coffee, right? Not every Brazilian coffee is the same!
Crop
Costs are up across the board for transport and labour. Same as in the UK. So along with lower harvests and the market moving upwards we’re expecting a price increase.
Rainforests
One of the things I was keen to see more of was the preservation of rainforests alongside the farm. About 20% of their farmland is left as wild rainforest to preserve it and the habitat it offers. The understanding of harmony between nature and farming was impressive.
Not enough space to write it all – ask more when you next order.
New Coffees
We’re exploring new origins and cupping new coffees in the next few weeks. Cameroon? Guatemala? Rwanda? Nicaragua?
Keep your coffee fresh
Dr Peter Griffiths on BBC World Business Report
Lead article of the rport (approx 7 mins) – interesting on both sides, and fair. Exresses much of what we have experienced on the ground and been saying for years. Worth a listen.
From Peter Griffiths:
Fairtrade Foundation UK will not appear on a platform with me because I produce hard research evidence and they produce only anecdotes, so the BBC got someone from the Netherlands. Note that he does not give figures for extra amount paid by consumers, amount going to the Third World, or any extra amount paid to farmers. Nor does he suggest that there is any impact study meeting the standards of the development agencies (there are not). And he does not mention that the Chief Executive of Fairtrade International and a range of researchers have said that the auditing and monitoring of the system is woeful.
Travel Report…
Here’s the latest from EA – a travel report from our latest trip to East Africa
It really was an excellent trip and very encouraging on many levels. The most telling comment came form one of the farm managers one evening as we talked about trade and aid. We talked about the historical aid situation in Africa whereby an enormous amount of money has been spent on loans and charity, whilst simultaneously abusing the same countries in the way we trade with them.
There is so much truth in this and whilst it is often more complex, and initially needs a partnership of trade and aid together, there can be no doubt that a long-term sustainable route out of poverty has to be through trade and development (but done well, and done fairly).
We’re back! Well, actually we’ve been back for a while but with catch-up, Christmas and some holidays we’re only just getting round to updating everyone from our trip to East Africa.
We stayed at Machare Farm and witnessed again the excellent attention to detail when it comes to quality of coffee – and we’ve filmed a lot of the process too so hopefully a new film will be available online in the near future. But most impressive were some of the environmental projects and the increasing use of biodynamic farming – more labour intensive but using natural fertilisers, reducing waste water in irrigation, organic composting, and all indigenous tree-planting. All whilst preserving precious natural habitat for local wildlife.
Whilst the quality and environmental care of Machare was awesome, the most exciting and encouraging part of the trip had to be in the villages. On arrival at Orera we were greeted by the elders along with singing and dancing (Ian felt obliged to join in which was not a pretty sight!) We had the real privilege to see the projects we have been supporting, and to officially open the new community-owned CPU. Ian had to climb the roof to hammer in the final nail, drink the ceremonial banana beer (!) and cut the ribbon.
We also got to return to the small village of Manoshi to renew business with them too. The photos hopefully tell the story, but for those who’d like to know more please call as we have plenty of stories to tell!
WE’RE MOVING!
Ethical Addictions has a new home as of Monday 18th June, 2012:
Rear Warehouse
69A Alvin Street
Gloucester
GL1 3EH
But it’s more than just a new warehouse and offices
We definitely benefit from a great office and distribution space, but we also get to partner with an exciting new project starting in Gloucester. Roots Coffee Community is a social enterprise seeking to create a coffee shop and community space to serve people in the Kingsholm area. As part of their site, they have a warehouse to let and as such we can support their work by being a good tenant (and on-site supplier!)