Was there ever a morning in your life when you have wondered about the story behind the coffee you are drinking?
If you are drinking Mt. Meru Coffee then there is a story behind it and you have now become or would want to be part of it.
The Mt. Meru Coffee Project has been born out of a casual conversation between a Milwaukee priest and a Tanzanian coffee farmer. The Tanzanian coffee farmer’s words were “We grow coffee; you drink coffee; would you buy your coffee from us?”
With a “yes” from the pastor, the partnership between the Greater Milwaukee Synod (GMS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) and the Diocese of Meru of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT), the Mt. Coffee Project was born.
Out of that casual conversation, a better future for Tanzanian coffee farmers has started and has been continuing for two decades now.
How has the future fared for Tanzanian coffee farmers?
- A fair trade for two decades
The partnership between the Greater Milwaukee Synod (GMS) of the ELCA and the Diocese of Meru of the ELCT has an agreement that closed a fair deal.
The agreement stated that the ELCT’s coffee farmers would produce premium quality coffee while the ELCA would manage the marketing and the distribution processes specifically to countries that consume large amounts of Mt. Meru Coffee. These countries include the United States, Italy, and Japan.
As the project developed, the Mt. Meru Specialty Coffee Growers Association (MMSCGA) was established for farmers to work together in meeting their cultural and economic needs while working with the Mt Meru Coffee Project.
The proceeds from the coffee products have been put into the development of the Mt. Meru region to sustain livelihood.
- Continuous support and development
The Mt. Meru Coffee Project did not end after purchase, distribution, and marketing. The project also provides equipment and other agricultural aid to improve production. Aside from the said assistance, the project also invests in the improvement of the Tanzanian farmers’ training.
To sustain the coffee farm livelihood in the region, the Mt. Meru Coffee Project through the Mt. Meru Specialty Coffee Growers Association (MMSCGA) arranges training sessions provided by the Tanzania Coffee Research Institute (TaCRI) for the coffee farmers.
These training sessions include professional development in farming practices and education about technological advances related to farming.
- Supporting families for a better future
The project helps support over 2,000 coffee farmers in the region. In 2020, over 200 tons of coffee has been imported despite the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the economic challenges that the world had faced, the support for these farmers continued through the consistent production and importation of Mt. Meru coffee.
Further, through the proceeds of the Mt. Meru Coffee Project, support has been provided for the improvement of the region’s villages, markets, and others. If these areas in the region are improving, the standard of living is also getting better.
How can you be part of the story?
With every cup of Mt. Meru coffee, you are supporting the families of Tanzanian coffee farmers and at the same time, helping the region because jobs have been generated through the project.
How fulfilling it is that you can combine pleasure and philanthropy at the same time with Mt. Meru Coffee! For a selection of our products, you can visit our product page by following this link: https://www.mtmerucoffee.org/collections/all