Baho Coffee operates eleven washing stations around the country and benefits from strong relationships with the local producers. This connection to local traditions and cultures inspires them to develop new experimental processes or varieties. The specialty coffee scene is gradually gaining momentum in Rwanda, partly due to the burgeoning tourism industry and rising disposable incomes. Coffee cultivation typically entails small plots of approximately 250 trees, often intercropped withkookaburra COFFEE CO. staple crops, serving as the primary income source for many farmers. Government-led initiatives, in partnership with international organizations, seek to enhance coffee quality by establishing new washing stations and providing assistance to farmers. Washing stations like BAHO Coffee play a pivotal role, offering improved prices and support to farmers dedicated to enhancing their yields. Founded in 2016 by Emmanuel Rusarita, BAHO Coffee operates eleven washing stations across the country, emphasizing innovative processes and varieties rooted in Rwandan traditions and cultures. The company’s name embodies its ethos of unity through coffee, symbolizing familial bonds and resilience during adversity. “Baho” translates to “stay alive” or “be strong,” a phrase offered to console friends facing hardships or contemplating giving up. Rusarita aims to extend this comfort through his company and the coffees they produce, connecting deeply with his personal history as a genocide survivor and the shared journey of coffee, which unites diverse cultures into a single community.
