Exploradora Especial - Special Reserve Coffee - Democratic Republic of the Congo - 10 oz

From Mapendo Women’s Cooperative. Proceeds directed to grassroots flood relief for those affected by devastating flash floods and landslides in Kalehe, a territory in the South Kivu province of Democratic Republic of Congo, the exact area where farmers grow the Mapendo coffee.

Our special reserve from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), brought to us by Mighty Peace Coffee. Mighty Peace is a women-and-minority-owned social impact coffee company based in the U.S. with offices in Europe and Africa. Mighty Peace was born out of the Congolese peace movement by an international team of business leaders, coffee experts, innovators, community organizers, and human rights defenders. Currently they are serving 9,000 farmers in the DRC by delivering high-quality specialty coffee to 84 U.S. coffee companies.

Mapendo is Swahili for “love.” Many of the women that produced Mapendo are widows as a result of the conflicts that have destabilized parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Gender justice is one of the key pillars of Mighty Peace, and they’ve worked with organizations such as OXFAM to implement "Gender Action Learning Systems." These systems comprise role playing and visual tools to help women farmers plan sustainable livelihoods. Since 2009, Mapendo farmers produce fully washed coffee that has been certified Fair Trade Organic (FTO). They have three washing stations, with a fourth in construction that will include a modern lab for cupping and quality control.

Pictured: Chief Quality Officer and Lead Agronomist, Linda Mugaruka