Kagera Co-operative Union (KCU) is based in the Kagera region of north-west Tanzania and is the oldest and largest fairtrade coffee co-operative in Africa. Olivia Mwombeki, a widow, has worked for the it since its inception 25 years ago. She is one of a team helping 60,000 smallholder coffee farmers grow coffee to sell on the Fairtrade market.
What is your role in the co-operative?
"There is general poverty in the region but with training the farmers are able to rise above it and earn a decent livelihood. I am an agricultural technician, and my job is to train others to grow crops that are as healthy and plentiful as possible. If their crops can meet the specifications, the coffee gets good prices and they have a good livelihood."
How has Fairtrade helped your community?
"With Fairtrade we have improved facilities here and enhanced quality production – we couldn't have achieved them without it. The fairtrade premium has been used to build and improve schools and health centres and build roads and bridges to link the farming communities to the coffee production areas. It has even helped us buy our own instant coffee factory – the only one in the country."
What are the biggest challenges you have faced since joining the co-operative?
"My husband died ten years ago and there are times I have really struggled and have had to work extra hard. I had to juggle 24 hours a day when the children were younger to put food on the table. If I couldn't feed my children this would encourage them to steal, so I can't let that happen. If my debts are too heavy, I farm maize and get loans against that. Sometimes my neighbours and my husband's family helped me with childcare."
How has the fairtrade stable income helped you?
"I have needed to spend my money on my children's education. There is no pension system I can be part of, so the security of the family depends on this. I have debts because of this and I have not been able to afford a tin roof on my house."
Do any of your children want to be coffee farmers?
"No but I am delighted at what the future the KCU co-operative has helped me provide for my children. I have two boys and two girls: one at university studying law, another working in community development and engineering, another working to achieve a library certificate and the youngest at sixth form studying IT."
You have been the head of your family for ten years: have you noticed a change in the way women are treated in your community?
"Life is hard for women here but traditions are changing. I am encouraging women to make a bit of money of their own, such as cleaning the coffee and working at the hulling site. In the old days the men kept the money from farming coffee to themselves. Women weren't allowed to be involved in the process. We are working for this to change."
Do you have a message for people in the UK?
"Please buy more fairtrade so you can keep remembering the farmers over here who grow the coffee."
Copy on this page is provided by Fairtrade Foundation supporter of the supply chain hub
.jpg?w=600)
