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Washing station History (Kavugangoma) Founder and Author: Richard Kaderi It was in 1993, just after leaving High School, when the war started in Burundi. I then left for South Africa where I went to pursue and complete certification in Maritime Studies. Following, I went to the USA to further my studies. I went to work in various countries around the world but was longing for peace to return to Burundi. When political stability was announced, I returned to Burundi to follow my dream of setting up a Coffee Bean Washing Station and sourcing the very best organically grown, single origin coffee to be sold globally at a fair price, and to ensure fair trade between the farmer and the buyer. Coffee farming was always a part of our family business. In 1932, my grandfather introduced coffee to the region where I was born and raised. Because coffee was always my family business ( my grandfather introduced coffee in my area in 1932 after his studies in Butare in Rwanda (Astrida then a Belgium school) I decided to promote coffee with the target to produce the highest quality which can be sold in international market at a good price and as an environmental justice activist I had to take lots things in consideration especially when it comes to protect our environment. During my investigation some farmers told me that they use to walk ten to twenty miles to get to the nearest washing station where they could wait more than 12 hours before their cherries could be received by washing station staff, they told me as well they used to get beaten up while they were waiting in ques. On the 11 th February 2008, I started building this washing station in the North-East of Burundi at my birth place in the Muyinga Province, in the Mwakiro commune . Our product is: AKAVUGANGOMA COFFEE the name comes from the washing station located on the Kavugangoma hill, which means the sound of the drums. In Burundi Tradition all the drums were made from a tree called Umuvugangoma and from the kingdom era they use to plant these types of trees in this area. The washing station took me 4 years to finish. Whilst building, I started planting coffee on my 20 hectare plot where I only use organic fertilizers with lots of shade trees in between whilst introducing the honey project and help the coffee
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About Ruvubu Coffee

Apr 11, 2017

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Gregory De Sani
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Page 1: About Ruvubu Coffee

Washing station History (Kavugangoma)

Founder and Author: Richard Kaderi It was in 1993, just after leaving High School, when the war started in Burundi. I then left for South Africa where I went to pursue and complete certification in Maritime Studies. Following, I went to the USA to further my studies. I went to work in various countries around the world but was longing for peace to return to Burundi. When political stability was announced, I returned to Burundi to follow my dream of setting up a Coffee Bean Washing Station and sourcing the very best organically grown, single origin coffee to be sold globally at a fair price, and to ensure fair trade between the farmer and the buyer.

Coffee farming was always a part of our family business. In 1932, my grandfather introduced coffee to the region where I was born and raised.

Because coffee was always my family business ( my grandfather introduced coffee in my area in 1932 after his studies in Butare in Rwanda (Astrida then a Belgium school) I decided  to promote coffee with the target to produce the highest quality which can be sold in international market at a good price and as an environmental justice activist I had to take lots things in consideration especially when it comes to protect our environment.During my investigation some farmers told me that they use to walk ten to twenty miles to get to the nearest washing station where they could wait more than 12 hours before their cherries could be received by washing station staff, they told me as well they used to get beaten up while they were waiting in ques.

On the 11th February 2008, I started building this washing station in the North-East of Burundi at my birth place in the Muyinga Province, in the Mwakiro commune . Our product is: AKAVUGANGOMA COFFEE the name comes from the washing station located on the Kavugangoma hill, which means the sound of the drums. In Burundi Tradition all the drums were made from a tree called Umuvugangoma and from the kingdom era they use to plant these types of trees in this area. The washing station took me 4 years to finish.

Whilst building, I started planting coffee on my 20 hectare plot where I only use organic fertilizers with lots of shade trees in between whilst introducing the honey project and help the coffee for polarization, planting trees along roads, rehabilitating rural roads in partnership with a world food program and helping to build schools building. Burundi has 18 provinces, now divided into around 130 communes and around 3000 collines.Around 18 collines surrounding my washing station supply me all the cherries. some people told me that the quality could be different a bit due to their altitudes, soils and they way the plantations are managed and the distance the cherries has to travel to get to my washing station. For this reason, I started processing cherries separately by collines with similar characteristics. With this system the cherries are collected fresh and quickly transferred to my washing station for quality control. We are currently in the process of certification. Two years ago we achieved 3rd spot worldwide by (Soil and More), an independent Soil, Water and Emissions analyses company from Holland. Test results showed that the washing station was nearly footprint free since very low emissions are

Page 2: About Ruvubu Coffee

expelled at our washing station except for the pulping motor and when our coffee has to go to the port with a truck, otherwise most of our cherries are brought in by bicycles and we use solar energy for our lighting. Official reports attached will show how clean the water is that is used at the processing station – see PDF attachment. The pulp gathered from the coffee cherries are used as fertilizers for the plantation.  This washing station (Kavugangoma), is a one-of-a-kind in the country with lots of trees and coffee farms around it. Several flowers and fruits trees are continuously planted to attract birds and bees for its natural and organic fertilizer.

The washing station has three main innovations:   Environmental Latrines: Used for workers and visitors. They are double chambers and the phreatic nape are protected, is very clean and have comfortable seats. They are build to last forever and water is not needed at all. Both urine and faecal matter is collected regularly to be used as fertilizer for the coffee farm.

  Gravity Water: The coffee is washed by clean water from the mountain surrounding the washing station and both workers and visitors use this water for their daily needs. The water is brought in from around 3 km.

  Filtration and Recycle System:Installation of the best filtration and recycle system for all the dirty and used water to protect all the people living around the washing station and in particular the environment in general.

As the sole owner of this business, I manage my company fairly well without outside interference. It can be very challenging to get pre-finance for my farmers, non-the-less we have a mutually beneficial relationship. These farmers will harvest the best coffee cherries with the result that I produce the best single origin Arabica coffee Africa has to offer. For the past years we have been contribute to building public infrastructures for the community and helping our farmers with small loans for their home needs like cement, roofing sheets ,fertilizers, school material for their children and so on.... African Promotion Company (Ruvubu Coffee is the subsidiary company in South Africa) has gained a reputation for producing probably the best quality coffee in the country and pays more money to his farmers compared to other operators in the country.His Excellency, the president of Burundi, Nkurunziza Peter has recognized our ability to develop the country through a sustainable rural development program from his visit to our factory. Other high profile political officials include government Ministers who expressed their appreciation for my contribution toward building the community in which I live and work. In July 2013 the Africa Coffee Association (AFCA) nominated my company as the company of the month and in 2015 our coffee received the Cup of Excellence award.

Page 3: About Ruvubu Coffee

Currently we have lot of long term projects, in particular for our farmers and the country in general. Last year I was elected to lead the Provincial Coffee Washing Station Alliance and busy promoting the use of organic fertilizers especially in my province and the country, as well as planting shade trees in most of the coffee plantations.

Laying the foundation stone of a washing station

Shall develop work for a public school work for a public school

Progress of construction of a washing station work for a public school

Experts demostrating the construction of environmental latrines

Page 4: About Ruvubu Coffee

Sewage treatment tank..... Overview of kavugangoma washing station

Meeting for coffee farmers with Richard Kaderi in fields Payment of coffee farmers with their cards in hands

Page 5: About Ruvubu Coffee

Covered pulp pit Soaking tubs

Visit of the President, Richard KADERI. showing all the view of the washing station, Environmental latrines facility Kavugangoma, explaining how the urine retention tray works

Burundi President visits Richard’s office in Mwakiro

Page 6: About Ruvubu Coffee

Burundi President presents Richard Kaderi with a certificate of merit for Best Entrepreneur of 2013

Burundi Minister of Agriculture on The chief of the washing stationher way to the washing station explains the washing process to the minister

Minister with Richard Kaderi in the coffee bean warehouse

Page 7: About Ruvubu Coffee

Coffee Bean Process1 2 3

Coffee field with green cherries Manual selection of cherries Weighing the cherries 4. 5.

pulping the cherries Clean water used at washing station on wet fermentation

6. 7.

washing and grading canal soaking tanks

Page 8: About Ruvubu Coffee

8. 9.

Pre-drying and parchment sortings Taking wet parchment to the drying table

10. 11.

Special care of quality parchment (drying heap) Drying parchment on the table

12.

Kavugangoma washing station parchment warehouse

Page 9: About Ruvubu Coffee

13. 14. 15.

Unloading and moisture Truck leaving the mill after BUDECA milling factory greenanalysis of parchment coffee dropping off the parchment coffee bean warehouseTo the factory BUDECA

16. 17.

Hand picking green coffee Truck leaving the milling station en-route to sea port for export