STITCH COFFEE is joining forces with the Australian coffee community and raising money for the Rambagirakawa association Supporting Strong Women fundraiser this International Women’s Day.

International Women’s Day (March 8) is a holiday that celebrates the cultural, economic, social and political achievements of women worldwide.

When STITCH COFFEE was looking for a special way to mark this occasion, we were truly inspired by the work of the Rambagirakawa women’s association within the Dukunde Kawa Cooperative in Rwanda’s Northern Province.

Moreover, when Melbourne Coffee Merchants let us know they were fundraising to expand the scope of opportunity for this collective of female Rwandan landowners and coffee farmers, to contribute to the cause was a no-brainer!

Below we elaborate on the importance of the Rambagirakawa association, how funds raised will be put to use, and how we—and in extension, you—can help support.

Rambagirakawa was first formed in 2012 to address and advocate for solutions to challenges uniquely faced by female Rwandan coffee farmers in the Northern Province. The 249 members across three Dukunde Kawa washing stations champion autonomy, giving women the financial/farming knowledge, resources, and facilities that allow them to generate additional income streams outside of coffee.

This work has the by-product effect of helping the coffee industry too. Given Rwandan women are the backbone of the local specialty coffee production, improving the quality of their lives is synonymous with securing the future of Rwandan coffee.

Some previous achievements made possible from past Rambagirakawa fundraisers include:

This year, the Rambagirakawa association has identified a need in the community for a day care facility accessible to all members of the Dukunde Kawa cooperative.

Mandatory education in Rwanda begins at five years old, which means it’s not uncommon for Rwandan parents to bring their young children to work with them. As women are the primary caregivers in Rwanda, the onus of care for young children often falls on them.

STITCH COFFEE is contributing to Supporting Strong Women’s larger goal of raising the $15,000 necessary to construct a day care centre for the association.

Achieving this goal will positively impact the Rwandan women and member’s prosperity and productivity, while also allowing their children to grow in a safe and happy environment.

Help us help the Supporting Strong Women fundraiser by purchasing a bag of any single origin coffee between March 8-31. We are donating $1 from everysingle origin coffee bag sold in thecafes or online to the cause.

Wholesalers can pitch in too, as $1 per kilo of single origin coffee purchased by you between March 8-31 will also go to the Supporting Strong Women fundraiser. Please contact our Business Development Manager River or hello@stitch.coffee for more information!

On top of the above initiatives, our company has made the commitment to donate minimum $600 AUD. This is $1 per kilo of Rwandan Northern Province coffee that we’ve purchased this year through Melbourne Coffee Merchants. Therefore, if you’ve previously enjoyed Rwanda, Mibilima or Rwanda, Nkara online or in our cafes, congratulations! Your purchase has already helped us make this donation commitment possible.

We will be making our lump sum donation in the first week of April via the Supporting Strong Women’s GoFundMe page. If you wish to donate directly, you can also use this link to do just that!