Our Story

Before the establishment of Abateraninkunga ba Sholi coffee cooperative, in our region, coffee was sold to opaque markets and at significantly low prices. Due to this, farmers were starting to lose interest in growing coffee as they couldn’t see the benefits associated with the hard work involved. On the other hand, our country had just started rebuilding following the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.In 2008, thirty (30) brave women who happen to be the founders of today’s cooperative, had bundled their efforts, and started an association whose main services were small scale farming business and money rotation among themselves. In 2010, the association welcomed other members including men and later in 2013, the association became an autonomous cooperative which is now Abateraninkunga ba Sholi coffee cooperative, commonly known as Sholi coffee. “Abateraninkunga” is a Kinyarwanda name that translates “mutual assistance”, and we build on our name to keep our mission of lifting each other towards better livelihoods.