Customer Focus – Dukunde Kawa Cooperative (MUSASA)

Posted by Kirsteen

December 16, 2009

MUSASA was founded in 2000 with 300 founder members and was legally incorporated in 2002. The cooperative is located in Ruli sector of Rushashi district and cultivates its high quality coffee near a mountain gorilla habitat of central Rwanda. In 2003, Musasa cooperative built a washing station in Rushashi district with the help of a USD 80K donation from the Rwandan ministry of defense (MINADEF). In exchange for the donation, Musasa cooperative agreed to donate each year to a government fund that will be used to construct other washing stations throughout Rwanda. Since 2003 they have produced high quality fully washed coffee for the high-end international market.

They became FLO certified in 2004 and have managed to sell their coffee at good prices which has resulted in improving the living standards of their members. With proceeds from their fair trade sales, the co-operative has been able to initiate various projects such as; construction of a single disc pulper for their new mini washing station aimed at improving quality. They have also purchased computers to improve their accounting department, and bought bicycles for each of their production zones, for the transportation of cherries to the washing station. Other projects include; a special credit program to pay for the school fees for their member’s children, credit facility to help members pay for their health insurance and loan facilities for members to buy cows. An example of the impact they have had in the community is that they have enabled their members to renovate their homes and now they all have tile or iron sheet roofs rather than grass, thus improving their quality of life.