Our story begins from a position of necessity.
In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many coffee farmers in Kasese could barely provide for their families. The floods had destroyed their crop while the lock down made it difficult to sell the little, they had left.
Our founder, Prince Sabena, was involved in the lives of the people in Kasese. After investing time and money on their occasional needs, he realized that they needed a more sustainable solution!
Amidst all this, what kept the people of Kasese hopeful were the coffee trees that stood tall on small subsistence farms. Unfortunately, their coffee sold for less than they hoped for because of its poor quality and their lack of organization and structure.
After realizing how we could help, we decided to set up Jenga Coffee to buy the coffee from the farmers at a reasonable price so that they get the most value out of their coffee.
What we have done
- We mobilized and organized the farmers into a farmer-owned and governed cooperative to fill the organizational gap.
- We have established a local presence by setting up the first wash station in the sub-county.
- We have instilled a strict policy of buying only red cherries. In return, we are paying farmers 50% more than the prevailing farm gate price.
- In between harvest seasons, we collaborate with local authorities to bring agricultural assistance closer to the farmers.
