Artisan Coffee in N. America: Close-up: Interviews with women producers in Rwanda

Aug. 1, 2026

In this post I'd like to share a few insights from my interviews with 12 producers during my June 2026 trip to Rwanda. Visiting with these women in their homes is always the highlight of my trip when I can afford to make the time. I always learn more about the women who grow the coffee we love!

An overview of the interviews is below. For each interview I had the invaluable assistance of my translators. Bridget VUGUZIGA was translating / assisting for the Agaseke, Ejo Heza and Kungahara interviews. Alice NSHUTII translated / assisted for the Rambagirakawa interviews.

INTERVIEWS (First names used with permission, Last names omitted for privacy)

Marthe Nikuze, Kungahara member

June 12, Kopakaki - Agaseke members

Jacqueline

Thacienne

Julienne

June 15, Kopakama - Ejo Heza members

Olive

Validiana

Esther

Bwishaza - Kungahara members

Christine

Marthe

Valentine

June 19, Dukundekawa - Rambagirakawa members

Dativa

Seraphine

Solina

Question: In the last 3 years, has your family made progress? Is coffee part of it?

>>Olive - Ejo Heza women's group

Coffee income and the Artisan bonus help me. Otherwise it would be difficult to afford the university tuition of the 3 kids who are now studying in Kigali.

Ejo Heza member:
Olive and her son, Simplice, 22 yrs.

>>Christine - Kungahara women's group

Coffee contributed a lot to our progress in the past 3 years. The two cows we have were bought with coffee income. We have a plan to build a new house using the stones outside in the yard. We pay the school fees of our 4 children. We purchased land with money from coffee. Our chickens provide eggs. We eat a balanced diet. The children don’t suffer from malnutrition. Sometimes we can sell eggs or the baby chicks. We save money in the Kungahara saving groups.

Question: Do you have other sources of income besides coffee?

58% (7 out of 12 women) said no other source of income. Those who have other income mention selling chickens, eggs, bananas and selling banana leaves as mulch to other farmers. One woman has a sewing machine at her home and does tailoring in the off-season.

Question: What is your mail goal for your farm over the next 3 years?

88% of the women mention improving their farming practices on their coffee plot as part of their answer. Olive said, "I can't expand the land, so I will increase the fertilizer, mulching and pruning to improve the productivity per tree." Soline said, "I'm going to increase the quantity per tree and if possible, plant more trees. I want to have many trees for my daughter after I pass, just like my parents gave me coffee trees."

Perhaps most interesting to you, dear readers, we asked the women "what message would you like to share with those who buy and drink your coffee?"

Agaseke members (L to R):
Julienne, Thacienne, Jacqueline

>> Thacienne, Agaseke women's group: "Please continue to drink it. We are managing well to have consistent quality. In all ways we manage well in order to not be contaminated by potato taste defect."

>> Soline, Rambagirakawa women's group: "I would like you to keep drinking my coffee with happiness and loving it. We are doing all the things to make sure it’s good. Our whole process is made by love and lots of attention. Because of how much energy and power we are using to grow coffee, you may even increase the price to help motivate us as farmers to do this hard work."

>> Marthe, Kungahara women's group: "Come pay us a visit and see how coffee is being planted and try to harvest it! It can be good for you to also do some farming practices, not always just seeing coffee in a cup!"