The Muhari Washing Station is located in the Rusizi District of Rwanda’s Western Province, on the shore of southern Lake Kivu. The Western Province is known for beautiful mountains, which provide great growing conditions for coffee cultivation, as well as for the Nyungwe National Forest and National Park. One of the oldest rainforests in Africa, the Nyungwe is rich in biodiversity and spectacularly beautiful. The mountainous region is full of wildlife, including a small population of chimpanzees and 12 other species of primate, including the L’Hoest’s monkey native to the Albertine Rift.

Gihanga is a coffee export project led by Audace Ngabonziza (Ngabo) and Jean de Dieu (Kevin) Nkunzimana. Their focus is on community-led specialty coffee production that is beneficial for both producers and the local environment, in addition to linking producer communities to the international market through high-quality and affordable coffees. Through support from Gihanga Coffee, the technical and environmental assistance provided to local farmers through the Muhari Washing Station is building a sustainable foundation for coffee production in the community. Such assistance includes agricultural products like compost and organic pesticides as well as a community-funded nursery. The site also cultivates indigenous tree species which provide many important environmental services to both producers and the wider community.

Rwandan coffees are known for their fruit flavors and nice acidity, and this lot showcases both. This sweet, bright coffee was grown at 1450 – 1900 MASL and is naturally (also known as ‘dry’) processed. Roasting this coffee brings out the deep fruitiness of ripe mango and brightness of a nectarine while delivering a sweet, aromatic yet dark finish of vanilla bean. We’re proud to be a part of such an impactful mission, and we hope you enjoy this smooth, sweet coffee.