Nkara CWS (Rwanda)

Situated high in Rwanda’s rugged northwest, Nkara is the latest washing station to be established by the Musasa Dukunde Kawa cooperative. By enabling farmers in the region to combine their harvests and process their coffee centrally, the cooperative has significantly increased their incomes and improved their livelihoods. Reflecting the transformative power of coffee in these rural communities, ‘Musasa’ means ‘a place to stay’, while ‘Dukunde Kawa’ translates to ‘let’s love coffee’.

In the wake of the 1994 genocide, Musasa Dukunde Kawa participated in the transformative SPREAD and PEARL programmes, which played a vital role in rebuilding Rwanda’s coffee industry by shifting the focus from quantity to quality. The cooperative’s social programmes continue to make a significant difference to the lives of its members and the wider community, providing school fees, medical insurance and coffee cultivation training. A fleet of specially designed bicycles also helps smallholder farmers transport their harvests to the washing stations.

The focus on quality is evident at Nkara, where the cooperative consistently produces exceptional coffees, year after year. This particular lot has undergone a special anaerobic natural process, a time-intensive technique that rewards the extra care and attention with a beautifully complex flavour profile. Expect vibrant notes of blueberry and ripe fig, complemented by the rich, buttery sweetness of cashew.