project congo

Supporting Project Congo

A better world is being formed out there – and we want to share it with you. We’ve sourced a fine coffee through Cooperative Coffees and the Muungano Cooperative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This 89-point offering has a lemongrass tingle, a deep dark chocolate flavor, and a pleasant bergamot acidity. But this coffee is important for more than its stunning flavor. For one, it’s Fair Trade Certified and provides greater wages for the farmers involved. We’re also donating a portion of the profits from this coffee to Project Congo, an effort by On The Ground, to support gender equality projects in the surrounding areas. Lives in the DRC are being changed in some dramatic ways through this coffee and others like it.

The Gender Problem of The Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo achieved independence from Belgium in 1960. However, rights, respect, and independence continues to be a struggle for women of the nation. According to research conducted by Project Congo, women make up roughly 80% of coffee farm labor in the country. Cultural norms often keep women from making any financial return on their hard work.

The 2007 DRC Demographic and Health Survey discovered that nearly 1.8 million women in the nation have been the victims of sexual assault, and another 3.37 million have suffered sexual violence by the hands of their partners. The United Nation dubs the DRC the “most dangerous country to be a woman”.

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