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Farm(s) – Sholi Coffee Coop
Elevation – 1,800 to 2000 masl
Location – Muhanga district
Located in between the green hills of Rwanda is Abateraninkunga Ba Sholi, a coffee cooperative in the Cyeza sector in Muhanga district. By offering high quality green beans to the world, people can enjoy the amazing taste of Rwandan specialty coffee. They process their cherries themselves at their washing stations, this way they secure the quality of their cherries and offer their members and farmers financial security. At Sholi they empower their farmers and enrich their community. This is reflected in the quality and amazing taste of their coffee.
Sholi coffee originally started out as a small association of about 30 women. They bundled their strengths gained from small farming and put a money rotation system in place, to be able to help each other grow. Back then, coffee was only a small part of the association, there was no profitable market for coffee cherries as there was no washing station in area. This changed when two years later, the mission of the association changed, and eventually became a cooperative. From this point on, men also joined. Slowly the cooperative started growing, adding new members every year and in 2014, Sholi opened its very own washing station. Now farmers from the whole area can bring their cherries to the washing station, where it is processed in bulks. By centrally processing the cherries, they are able to secure and improve the quality of the coffee, create better access to the market and improve the lives and financial situation of their members and farmers. They have a permit to establish a second washing station nearby, so they can reach even more farmers and introduce more people to this amazing coffee.
It takes about 3 years for a coffee tree to bear fruit. In the harvest season, farmers from all over the region bring their hand-picked red coffee cherries to the Sholi coffee washing station. Some by truck, while smaller farmers transport by bike or even their heads. Only the reddest and best quality cherries are accepted and farmers receive a fair price. At the washing station the coffee is sorted and all defects are removed. Every cherry consists of two parched coffee beans covered in pulp. This pulp is removed and the parchment is fermented for 12 to 18 hours. The parchment is then washed and soaked. Afterwards, the parchment is moved to appropriate covered tables for sorting. Lastly, it is put on drying tables in the sun for 21 days. The parchment is safely stored until being transported to Kigali. In Kigali, the parchment is being removed and the green coffee beans are ready for export.
http://sholicoffee.com/
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