Reflections on Rwanda — Coffee, Community, and Connection
Traveling through Rwanda, visiting its diverse coffee-growing regions, and immersing myself in the culture was a profoundly moving experience. I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the rich tradition in coffee cultivation and see how a company like Raw Material alongside Muraho Trading Company coming from more Western systems of thinking, has worked to implement new structures — not just to improve the coffee supply chain, but to empower communities and cultivate deeper, more sustainable relationships.
When I think about the journey, I’m reminded of the opening line of the Terroir book “Great coffee is the result of a plant’s genotype and the terroir that surrounds it” alongside this statement there is a much deeper message hidden behind, almost making it difficult to capture in words the essence of something which was for me truly inspiring. It’s hard to gather all the impressions, but what follows is a rough constellation of the moments and elements that left the biggest imprint.
The terroir of Rwanda is breathtaking in its range — from the lush Lake District to the mysterious volcanic regions. These high-altitude areas held something almost mystical. There was a distinct contrast between the tropical softness of certain regions and the robust, dense intensity of the volcanic soil. Each landscape seemed to echo a different spirit, which one could almost sense in the cup.
And then, the people. Rwanda’s past — brutal and unthinkably painful — somehow manifests in the present as a quiet strength, a collective integrity, and an unshakable sense of togetherness. There’s joy in the work, honesty in the communication, and a deep-rooted compassion in how people interact, collaborate, and harvest. Village-level teamwork and traditional practices meet with modern agronomic support from varying organizations, such as Muraho and Raw Material, trying to bring continued quality, efficiency and dignity into the process.
Raw Material in collaboration with the Muraho Trading Company in particular stood out — not just for the systems they’re building, but for the authenticity of their relationships. I spent time with them in Kigali, often in surprisingly luxurious settings, but what was more striking was seeing how they move between these different worlds — from city to countryside, comfort to challenge — always with the same purpose.
You realize how easily we, from the outside, carry a naive image of Rwanda. Yes, poverty exists, but it’s far from the full picture. There’s a complex social structure and layers of support, ambition, and pride. There is a grace in the way people move through their days.
One of the most powerful parts of the journey was at The Vunga Cooperative in Rwanda’s Nyabihu District, the volcanic region, where I met President Daphrose Uwimana, the woman leading an organization that’s endured extraordinary hardship. After several landslides devastated their community, they rebuilt — again and again. The resilience, the quiet strength, the collective response… it was overwhelming to witness.
At the heart of the entire experience was a deep focus on community. Everything — from the plantations to the city — reflected a strong ethic of shared joy, reward through collaboration, and a human-centered approach. It felt like the scars of the past had inspired a radical, beautiful kind of togetherness.
A huge thank you goes out to Alan Tomlins and the Raw Materialteam, Gaudam Anbalagan, Karthick Anbalagan and Eustache Mutakirwa from Muraho.
Hobe Hobe Hobe!
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blend2 is by no means a second choice, in fact for many passengers it is the ultimate. Blend2 is simply the 2nd espresso blend we have created. A tribute to our roots...
Here is the first round of Burundi!
Dieser lebhafte Kaffee ist ein Ableger der RAWS-Mischung von passenger und stammt aus der IZUBA-Waschstation im nördlichen Teil Burundis. In der Waschstation/Nassmühle werden die Kaffees der Region gesammelt und die Kirschen zu gewaschenen oder natürlichen Kaffees verarbeitet.