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Once upon a time, coffee was a major export earner in my country, then it was overtaken by other sectors and is now ranked 4th after horticulture, tea, and tourism. The industry now contributes about 3.2% of Kenya’s foreign exchange earnings, a drop from the 40% contribution in the good years gone by. ..sigh Every morning millions of people get up to a fresh brewed cup of coffee which at times they take for granted –coffee before work, on road trip pit stops, cups brewed out of boredom, coffee dates- each of those cups necessary, effortlessly and immediately accessible. Those cups are products of hours of work, years of patience, decades of struggle for coffee producers and their families. The KEDOVO Coffee Project set out to improve the lives of coffee farming communities in Nyeri , Kenya by connecting the coffee in your cups to these farmers. Farmers like my father, and his father, farmers who grow coffee because it is a way of living, surviving and because it is what their ancestors have left them. Farmers like Kedovo farmer Wilson Mwangi, who struggle to send their children to school in the city and hope they come back with some knowledge to help them survive in the unpredictable future in coffee farming mountains of the Aberdares. Coffee in my country is threatened by drought and climatic change. The coffee Leaf Rust took over most of the farms in the crop year 2016/ 2017. Production dropped to 50%. Most farmers were helpless and felt there would be no solution. My father was no exception and he lost most of his harvest. He had to remove the affected coffee plants appx 300 trees. Growing up these coffee plants put food on our table, by removing them a part of us went away with them…most of the farmers feel the same, a piece of us is gone, because after all, this is their livelihood. This is the way they eat. This is the way they send their kids to school. Almost a year later most of his trees have sprouted, a dark cloud hangs still in his eyes, hes still worried if the Leaf rust will strike again. Kedovo Coffee Project continues to train the farmers especially on comprehensive soil management techniques. Soil fertility is one of the main focuses and the farmers are taught how to protect the soil through shade and how to effectively use “cover crops.” Over the last years, the rain pattern has completely changed. Rain comes at a time when you don’t expect it. Sunshine at time when you should be having rain. We are a worried lot…For the coffee addicts in my adopted country the impact of what is going on in my village will translate to slightly higher bill for a slightly worse cup of coffee. But for my people the consequences will be much more dire… Most of the young people in my village gave up the ''proffession'' of coffee farming to look for work in the bigger cities, experts say the coffee industry is struggling because of this. I sit in my office on a cold winter, all grey outside ...and worry about my people. The plants that put food on our table. This is the pride of my people, their community roots...it cannot be replaced. The Kedovo Project on Sustainable Education continues to support the education requirement of the children of its coffee producers. Many ask me, if you educate them, will they not leave the village? Will you not be faced with the same big problem of migration to cities? Our believe is that if these young people from my village had access to unlimited eduaction chances ,they would finish their degrees, come back to the coffee farms and put their newfound knowledge into practice. What if we in the coffee industry worked hand in hand with them so they can aspire to be producers, like my father and his father, but producers with better Agronomic practices, we trained them to be roasters, give them chances to be exporters and baristas...what if? Can we all vision small coffee farms on the foothills of Mt Kenya, where you could find agronomists, chemists, Exporters ,social workers....the list is long. Would we not rewrite the economics of coffee? By providing better future for these children we will be providong a future for the coffee industry. We finally finished the Adminstration Block of Ndurutu Primary school.This school is 300 Metres from the Ndurutu Wet Mill which is one of the mills under Kedovo Coffee Project. The Adminstration Block was handed over to the community and will also be used as a meeting point for the Board of the Parents Teachers Association who now continues to do monitoring on the school with KEDOVO-Kenya offering advisory services. Ndurutu Primary has currently 160 School kids from Pre-Unit to Class 8. The purpose of the KEDOVO Social Development Projects in the coffee farming communities in Nyeri, is to promote economic development, direct trade and improve the livelihoods of these small-scale coffee farmers, their families and communities.We have long-lasting and trusting relationships with these communities, and our social development support is based on individual community needs. It has been a wild incredibly busy 2017 for the Kedovo Coffee Project.  51 tonnes of green coffee, shipped to Germany. You all are amazing…and thus have helped the  KEDOVO Coffee Project to  bring together these farmers to work towards a common economic goal.

February is a month where the coffee season in Ndurutu is completely changed. We no longer have the hustle and bustle of the farmers coming up the ranges with buckets full of coffee. It’s a month of main prunning, hand weeding and foliar feeds application.  A month where my father spends the whole day tendering to his beloved  coffee trees. It is also a month of anticipated hope as the trucks snake their way to the city, delivering the green coffee ready for Export to faraway lands…Its also a month where the Kedovo coffee soldiers are busy cupping various coffees in readiness for contracting. Kedovo coffee soldiers Our coffee story begins in 2013 amongst the villages of Kiganjo, Central  Kenya just after the main season had ended and the farmers yet again had been at the mercy of the middlemen. We set out to start rebuilding our lives, and the Kedovo coffee project was founded on a shared dream. A dream where coffee farmers in Nyeri, central Kenya would grow their coffee alongside their food crops to provide the much needed cash where they would eat regular meals, send their children to school, build new and safer homes ,develop the social amenities in the village and even set up businesses.   Discussions with Farmers from Ndurutu on future of the project Coffee leaving the dusty village we have come a long way, but i do still worry for my people The shared dream was to use coffee as a tool of transformation. These were people who were tired of emergency relief and subsisting on the generosity of others but they knew they could not succeed alone, and we had to build relationships. Relationships with coffee roasters, coffee drinkers and in turn build a market for our coffee....... Building relationships with Roasters from Germany Growing up in the village together with the Kedovo gang, we always felt the need to ''escape'' , but how can we escape from ourselves? I spent the last 67 days in the village, unlocking memories long forgotten, working with the farmers, learning from each other and finding solutions to the obstacles we face in our shared dream... Our profit from selling the coffee has been going back to Kiganjo ,Nyeri in Kenya, to  the farmers and their families to improve the quality of their lives through projects with schools and communities. In Jan 2016 we started the Kedovo School Renovation Project -Ndurutu Primary school. At that time we was a worried lot. The school has ca.170 kids with ages of 3-15 years. The Infrastructure was pathetic, we had dilapilated roofs, classrooms without doors or windows ...the list is long.   The power of humanity prevailed, and you ALL without even knowing us, believed in us, and molded us into the Organisation that we have become. YOU believed in us and shared with us the meaning of community, and we inturn -not knowing that we were looking- we found ourselves. YOU have all been AWESOME....and The Ndurutu Primary School is fully renovated and handed over to the community .We did this with dancing and praises on 20th Jan 2017. The shared dream.... we had to begin our day making 400 pcs of Kenyan Chapati phew!! community in attendance Its done.... The Shared Dream.... Assistant County Commisioner adressing the community The gang ;) Our Mugithi Dance cant miss on such an occassion Part of the school Handing over to the school Adminstration and Local Authorities Its done... The shared dream.... Without YOU buying our coffees, this would have been so much harder, and for this on behalf of my people our sincere gratitude. We all have dreams….coffee farmers have dreams of realizing the fruits of their labour.   In Sept we partnered with Green Planet for the supply of Solar power to several families within Kiganjo Location. We continued with the installations and in Jan & Feb we installed 14 more systems. Special thanks to Katrin of KEDOVO Volunteers for her commitment in supporting this project. Solar power is something we all take for granted especially in the developed world, - hej if a room is too dark we flip a switch, if our cellphone battery dies we plug it in...how many of us eat cold food? hell no! we toss it into the microwave. Farmers like Mama Carol below , live without electricity... Davie showing Katrin how a paraffin ''lamp'' operates These solar systems will not only provide safe clean energy but contribute Economically in the sense that some of the families can start small businesses from profits derived through "charging phones" for others at a fee, use this money to buy groceries or as a booster to other income generating activities.   Katrin deliberating how to do the wiring ;) Beneficiary...full with joy long term partnerships... The human impact of these systems is incredible! Access to electricity can make life in rural villages much more comfortable minimizing the families the adverse effects of smoke from burning kerosene indoors, and it becomes easier to perform household chores (for women in particular), and for children to do their homework.....The Shared Dream. It is difficult to put word into gratitude for this immense support. We still have more families to support and this we can only realize with the purchase of our coffees. another happy beneficiary Towards our work in ensuring that we supply YOU with high quality coffee from the Kedovo Coffee Project, one of the crucial step along the way is the drying of the coffee, which happens between harvest and export. Ndurutu Wet Mill where most of our project is centred has a lot of old and broken drying beds. Thanks to LOPPOKAFFEEEXPRESS and Lukas der Leipziger Baker for their support and the partnership over the years, we were able to support the mill with 2 new metal/steel drying beds that are more durable compared to the timber ones. most of the drying beds are more than 20 years old and in dire need of repair / new ones old, broken timber beds welding of the new drying beds ''transporting the steel bed from welding area Githinji the Mason making sure nothing is left to chance Handing over the drying beds to Joseph the Mills Manager To my community coffee is life... and its what we know how to do. Most of the coffee from last season was affected as mentioned earlier by leaf rust and the coffee berry disease, and most farmers lost the harvest...but we continue growing coffee. My father lost a lot of his cherished trees...but he soldiers on, and together with other farmers they have started re-planting new coffee bushes as well. The waiting begins; Another 4 years of renewed hope... my father cutting off the affected branches The kedovo soldiers hunting for new coffee seedlings Renewed hope... Rainfall between the month of November to January was very poor for the crop as well, and due to these factors we have a shortage in the harvest. The Agronomy and technical trainings continues and we focus not only on the improvement of quality for our coffees but as well as the quality of life for the farmers that work tirelessly to produce these amazing coffee.   training farmers on what roasters look for in a coffee To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu Wet Mill & Thageini Wet Mill Season 2016/2017 F.O.T Bremen or Hamburg, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Kindly contact Soni or Nicole for information on samples, prices and contract. Lets rewrite the economics of coffee together...     For roasted Chania coffee kindly purchase from our OnlineShop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon. Be part of our story.... 

It’s the last day of 2016. I sit outside my mother’s house and look at the fog covered Mt Kenya. It has been quite a journey... View of Mt Kenya from Ndurutu Village 36 months, 992 Farmers, 93 Tonnes of Green beans shipped to Germany and an amazing load of coffee friends and family. This is the story of Kedovo Coffee Project. This is the story of a continuous journey of the coffee producing community of the Abedare Mountains selling their coffee directly to Germany. Coffee drying at Thageini Wet Mill The last three years  have been amazing though not easy. We have met and made great coffee friends, long term partnerships with the goal of strengthening these farming villages have been made, and we are heading towards progressive and sustainable farming practices. The grey hairs on my head tell it all...... What coffee producers have needed is a reliable market that offers a good, steady price for coffee beans.The Kedovo Coffee Project has done more than just to improve trade relationships and access to International market. We have continued to ensure that part of our revenue is returned to these coffee farming communities to support social development projects.  A total of 8,785 farming families have directly benefited from these services. Farmers from Kedovo Coffee Project A Kedovo Coffee farmer enjoying a cup of Kenia Ndurutu roasted by One Take Coffee from Hamburg The main harvest is coming to an end, we have had delays and problems this season. The rains didn’t come on time. Coffee from most of the farms was affected by Leaf rust. My father lost most of his harvest, he is a sad man.This year’s problems feel even larger than the last. But I have hope and comfort…… Picking of the last cherries from the fields My mother hand selecting ripe cherries We have been meeting our farmers the last weeks, visiting their farms, having discussions, drawing plans for the project together, receiving first hand experience to help us  understand the health of the cooperatives and the challenges faced by the people responsible for our delicious coffees, and finding solutions together as a community. Its from these meetings that we can hear about the challenges and the successes from the harvest. Its also from these meetings that we can give feedback to our farmers about the previous harvest.These are my people... Zackie holding discussions with a group of coffee farmers Farmer's field day, learning all about cupping and what a roaster looks for in a coffee I have hope and comfort that a time will eventually come when we can start celebrating improved quality, meet market demand and the farmers be in a position and have the ability to understand coffee markets. The work of KEDOVO Coffee Project is to avail coffee from these communities directly in Europe and connect foreign roasters with these farmers in order to forge long term partnerships for both parties. We continue promoting and ensuring Transparency in the way Kenyan coffee is traded. Farmers need to know what happens to their coffee once its sold to importers and roasters. Kedovo Coffee Trip dec 2016 Yes we can do this!!! Our work in supporting the Social development of these communities has not waivered. This has only been made possible by you all who continue purchasing our coffee. The Project on Installation of Solar Power Systems for families of Ndurutu Wet Mill has been progressing as planned and we have managed to Install Solar systems for 12 families so far. The target for this project is to cover 50 farmers. supporting a Kedovo Coffee Farmer with a solar system We know and believe that the livelihoods of these communities will only be changed if coffee farming is economically sustainable. We continue supporting sustainable coffee farming practices that respects the crop, the soil and the farmers. We supported Ndurutu Wet Mill with Inputs such as Protective farming gear and Fertilizers. This is the only way we can continue planting seeds for a better future. Zackie & Joseph ensuring nothing is left to chance Caro our coffee soldier, thanking on of the farmer's for his dedication in coffee farming Nicole handing over protective clothing to the Chairman of Ndurutu Wet Mill support of inputs- fertilizers to improve soil nutrients Karl Heinz helping a farmer load a bag of Fertilizer at Ndurutu wet mill I grew up in a world of struggle, survival but amidst all hope. My father believed that education was the only way we would overcome our poverty situation. We had the best education he could afford through proceeds from coffee production. My community has no other source of income. We rely on coffee. Our Kedovo project on Education for Sustainable development for the children of our coffee producers is rooted deep in our hearts. We have been there...we know the worries of not knowing if tomorrow you will be in the classroom, we know the frustrations of learning in a dusty, leaking classroom. We know the embarassment of going to school in torn uniform... The renovation of Ndurutu Primary school phase two started in December 2016 to finish up the remaining classrooms. beginning of second phase of renovations renovations underway renovated part -phase two Non renovated class- Phase two renovated classes-phase two In December we began our new project which is the construction of an Admnistration Block for Ndurutu Primary School. This would not have been possible without the support of our development partners BINGO Projektförderung Schleswig Holstein and you all our coffee gang. And on behalf of my people, our sincere thanks... Zackie of Kedovo showing off the plans for the new adminstration block to chairman of PTA and the Local government authorities communities for each other construction of modern Adminstration Block for Ndurutu Primary underway To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu Wet Mill & Thageini Wet Mill F.O.T Bremen or Hamburg, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or NicoleBoedtger for information on samples, prices and contract. For roasted Chania coffee kindly purchase from our Online Shop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon. The journey continues.....

The Fall is here, temperatures have dropped drastically.The streets are devoid of life, the leaves changing colour and falling off, the nights extremely cooler ...its a time to bring in the harvest. view of my street with most of the leaves falling Far away in the village of my birth, it is the main season for coffee. Only it has not rained in weeks, the harvest is not good and my people are a worried lot... a section of my father's coffee farm suffering from the Nov heat My father  turned 66 years old in Sept. His family has been coffee growers all their life. He wakes up at 6 in the morning and heads to tend his beloved coffee trees whether in rain or sunshine. My mother will then take him breakfast around 8:am, breakfast which is mainly a cup of fermented porridge or some thin tea, which he will gulp while standing with a faraway look towards the mountain….My father planted his own coffee trees 35 years ago, my mother says that is the day he ‘’fell in love’’. My father at the Coffee Tree Nursery checking out new coffee variety seedlings My Paternal grandmother left the village when my father was only 16 years old. She left, in the search of work in the cities ; far away from the coffee growing villages of the Aberdares. She never returned….She died alone, away from her family. They buried her in a remote village on the banks of the Narosura.These are stories told by my father as we grew up, stories told in the evening by the cooking fire as we waited for my mother to cook the staple food of maize and beans.  My grandmother  left because of all the frustrations and hardship associated with coffee production.49 years later, not much have changed…my community still faces the same hardships. delivering of parchment Milling of coffee at Thageini wet mill Thageini women coffee farmers #kedovocoffeeproject My family is no different from the rest of the coffee producers , their days are days filled with uncertainty, and at times with hope of a better tomorrow. Mom picking coffee at home The #kedovocoffeeproject  tries  to pull back the curtain on the everyday lives of these amazing coffee farmers so that everyone concerned about the future of specialty coffee  better understands the complex realities of life in these coffee farming villages , where we live and work every day, where our hope is that coffee can become a better tool of development. one of our farmers processing coffee .#kedovocoffeeproject Coffee is a product of a long gruelling agricultural process. Years of dedication and hardwork..our work focuses extensively on the economic and social development of the people who dedicate their lives to provide us with our morning cups of coffee. Its in this line that we have continued to support the Social Development of the communities of Kiganjo. Last month the KEDOVO gang kick started our new project on Solar Energy. We partnered with Green Light Planet Kenya Ltd to support farmers from Ndurutu Wet Mill with Solar power as an alternative source of Energy. The project will benefit 20 Farmers in the first Phase. This would not have been possible without the immense support from Heinz and Nicole of Sandtorkai Handel Papenhagen who believed us from the beginning that coffee can change lives. This would not have been possible without you all who purchase our coffees whether Green Beans or Roasted in Germany, Austria & Norway and on behalf of my people our sincere gratitude. Technical Training of KEDOVO team & Vocal farmers by Green Light Planet Many coffee farmers fail to earn a reliable living from coffee production. Can we level the playing field for coffee growers? We can do this by forging simplified supply chains, by forming genuine relationships with these amazing people, by giving them chances to participate in the trading of their coffee, by making sure we support the social development of these communities. My country has over 6 million people who depend on coffee production Mrs Chau on the photo below is one of them. She walks 3 kilometers to buy paraffin to use for lighting. Sometimes she does not have the 50 shillings (0.50€) to buy the paraffin and will have to improvise by lighting her house with the glow of the cooking fire .The Kedovo gang installed a system in her house...#coffeechanginglives   Solar power can provide a simple evening lighting that most of us often take for granted in cities. It can bring a huge change in the life of the growing rural generation. Our work is to facilitate channels of education for our coffee producers and their families. Solar power can bring to them the same learning tools that most urban population has. Solar energy will play a pivotal role in bringing a turnaround on Rural Exodus. More happy families.... Growing up in a coffee growing community in Kenya my life was difficult..Coffee was and is still my Family's source of income. I walked kilometers to school barefoot and in worn shoes, sometimes on an empty stomach. At night we studied under our old kerosene lamp that my mother received as a gift on her wedding day from her family. Sometimes we didn't have 5 shillings to buy the kerosene and we owed the village shop.. We did our homework using the dying frames of the kitchen fire.Three and half decades later, many of the children of my community undergo through the same struggles. Our new project on Solar Energy brings hope and freedom to study, freedom and chances for those children to change their lives! Be part of our journey towards the economic and Social sustainability development of the communities who produce our coffee. Zackie of Kedovo & Joseph the Mills Manager in Ndurutu showing one of the farmers how to charge her phone using Solar power the kids from the above beneficiary learning in the evening by use of a kerosene lamp learning using solar power as a means of energy #coffeechanginglives Nyeri  where our #kedovocoffeeproject is located is home to extensive networks of small-scale coffee producers.  The fertile lands produce a broad range of tropical and temperate crops, and the 90% or more of the population in this rural area combine household food production with coffee acting as the cash crop. Cash is needed to pay school fees for kids, buy school requirements (books, uniforms etc), pay for transport to health centres, and then meet doctor and medicine charges. Cash also has become critical for many non-market exchanges and other social obligations. The economic realities of these small scale farmers dictates the levels of investment, whether back to the farms itself or social development. A strong coffee sector stimulates economic and social development. Our hope is that by shedding enough light on the issues that play themselves out here every day in coffee-growing communities, we will contribute in the continued movement of the coffee industry toward more sustainable sourcing practises, at the same time supporting the social and economic development and enrich the lives of the farmers who grow our coffee.. coffee patchment drying at the Ndurutu Wet mill We believe that the future of coffee belongs to the organized, and organized farmers are the engine to growth and sustainability in the coffee sector. We have mainly focused on Education as a means of sustainable development, where we know that though its better than in the past, we still have a long way to go. Farming itself is a business and its important that we equip the children of the coffee producers with better chances in education and in turn they are abreast with challenges and opportunities in the coffee industry. On Sept 30th , the Kedovo gang in Kenya finalized the first phase of the Renovation of Ndurutu Primary School in Kiganjo and handed it officially to the community. Davie of Kedovo trying to remember his handing over speech ;) Renovated hall which serves as a dining area for the school children singing & dancing ;) Kedovo team handing over first phase of the school to the community Renovated phase: 5 classes and a Hall Lunch time, newly built kitchen We still though have a lot of work ahead of us where we still have 6 classes remaining to renovate and modernize, we discussed with the community and plan to build an Administration block which will house the Staffroom, Head and Deputy offices and a secure storage facility for the school books etc. The current rooms used as offices will be modernized and equipped to be used as a Library and Computer lab respectively. By bringing in knowledge and resources to these communities, we support them to access information and communication technology which is becoming increasingly necessary to enhance equitable trade and survival. Deputy head office- Ndurutu Primary school head teacher office- Ndurutu Primary School Teachers (Staffroom) Ndurutu Primary Part of the remaining classes to be renovated Coffee has no future without my people and other coffee producing communities all over the world, growing, picking and processing it. What will make the next generation of coffee producers decide to continue farming coffee? what will keep them in the farming villages and not migrate to cities? what will make these communities have sustainable livelihoods from coffee production? We cannot keep on throwing around the word 'Sustainability in coffee' if we cannot have solutions to those questions. We need to keep investing in sustainability of these communities both in social and economic development as well as in practises of the farmers whom we need to assure steady demand of their coffee at a fair price. Lets make these communities thrive... The Early crop Season 2016 was really early, we managed to mill Ndurutu & Thageini coffee on time. These great coffees arrived in Germany last week and we are amazed by the dedication of these two communities. Arrival of our coffee container in Bremen last week #kedovocoffeeproject crop 2016 At the warehouse...we are ready people!! Thageini AA& Ndurutu AB Top #kedovocoffeeproject  This time we have 3 qualities in Stock: Thageini AA Top, Ndurutu AB Top and Ndurutu PB The #kedovocoffee is coffee that's grown in a manner that respects the environment and it's people. It's a coffee that offers economic and social sustainability to millions of families whose livelihoods depend on it. Be part of our Story.... To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu Wet Mill & Thageini Wet Mill F.O.T Bremen or Hamburg, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or Nicole Boedtger for information on samples, prices and contract. For roasted Chania coffee kindly purchase from our Online Shop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon. and our work continues.....

Three weeks ago the 2016/2017 coffee picking season began in my Country. It will be 7 months of intense labour. Wilson , one of our dedicated farmers and his Family During the coffee season, my grandmother, just like most of the other farmers in the village walks 2 kms from her home near the Sagana river, to deliver the coffee produce to the Ndurutu Wet mill for processing. Her mornings are mainly spent picking the red berries amidst unseeing eyes. Long ago i asked her how old she is and her reply was that she was married to my grandfather before he was shipped off to Burma to fight for the Queen. I guess she is in her middle 80's. My grandmother carrying a basket of coffee at her back My grandmother, like other small scale coffee producers in the world, are the people responsible for producing majority of the world‘s green beans. These are people who often struggle to adequately feed their families...these are communities that face mountains of challenges thus becoming very difficult for them to thrive and to produce best quality coffee. My Country is faced with an aging population of coffee producers and a youth generation totally uninterested in coffee production.The list of challenges that they face is limitless and actually changes with every season of coffee that comes… Most of us in the coffee sector have done tremendous efforts to support these coffee farming communities, but the main challenge ahead of us, that we all are afraid maybe to talk about is that my aging farmers are retiring and the next generation of coffee producers is not interested. My grandmother needs 2 hours to walk the 2 kms to the mill, i cannot promise she will be able to do the same come the next season. I worry...the young people in my village do not view coffee farming as a dependable source of income. Kedovo Coffee Farmer- Ndurutu Village My life is filled with memories...memories of my childhood and the hardships that come from coffee production. Memories of stuggle,despair and hope of a better tomorrow. Memories of my mother trekking more than 10 kms in search of vegetables from neighbouring villages, vegetables that she would later on hawk at the village market to supplement our meagre earnings from coffee production. Like most of my peers from the farming villages we left the village not as a choice but as a necessity. Three decades later my village is still faced with the same challenges of the youth permanently leaving the farms and migrating to cities in search of better economic opportunities. The next generation of coffee farmers is not interested. Me and you have the capacity to Change all this- can you imagine if we empowered These communities how many lives we would Impact? not forgetting the raise in Quality of a greater amount of coffee. This is among the challenges faced by the Kedovo Coffee Project- and its our work to fully invest in the next generation of the coffee producers. Discussing with our Partners in Jan on how best to include the youth in coffee production Its the work of KEDOVO e.V to not only tell these stories but to support these communities to thrive under all economic, social and environmental conditions. Its our duty to make sure the young people of my village see a future in coffee farming. We cannot only advocate for quality in the cup if the quality of life of the coffee producers is not adressed- this is the only way i can assure you of a sustainable coffee.   Kedovo Coffee Project- Coffee ready for Export The last months have been busy for us, MSC Luciana docked last month at the port of Hamburg. Onboard was a container load of green beans from our Kedovo Coffee Project. This time we imported coffee from the Thageini Wet Mill from Nyeri. We shipped both Kenya AA and Kenya AB Top.Thageini is a great coffee, a coffee with many untold stories..   Arrival of a Container load in May from Kedovo Coffee Project-Thageini Wet Mill The sale of this coffee continue to Support not only the economic development of our coffee Producers but greatly supports KEDOVO e.V's Projects on Social development in the villages of Kiganjo , Nyeri- Kenia. My coffee Story is the Journey of the village of my birth towards economic and social sustainability through coffee production, ist a Story of where the children of coffee Producers get Access to better Education chances in  their lives, a Story of a world where the coffee Producers got enhanced with Trade Information and trade channels, a Story where we could finally one day measure the degree of Stability. I dream of a world where  my community   benefited from the 2.25 Billion Cups of coffee consumed daily ...that is our coffee Story.The untold stories. In April,together with our Partner Nicole of Sandtorkai Handel we presented the Kedovo Coffee Project- Sustainability in Practise at the Coffee Roasters Congress in Hamburg with over 170 attendees.  Nicole & Soni presenting the Kedovo Coffee Project- Photo Credit :Sinje Hasheider My work at the coffee industry has been what my younger brother calls The Fates. You see when my father started our small coffee farm at the slopes of Mt. Kenya i was barely a year old. Its said that it was one of the hottest season in my country, and my mother struggled watering the young coffee trees everyday for almost a month. She carried me on her back and walked the 1.5 km to the Chania River, carrying a 20 litre jerrican of water up the hill as more than 10 times a day to save the young tender coffee trees from dying.Then came the Famine and most of those trees dried up. My father's heart is still heavy with pain of a loss... These are stories from my childhood, stories told by my mother as we grew up. She told of stories of my father‘s determination and his love for coffee. My father always dreamed of owning a coffee farm-little did he know how it could completely change our lives. Little did he know of the experiences and friendships we would cultivate with the people that we have and will meet in our journey. I cant imagine how life would have been without his beloved coffee trees...i cant imagine how my life will be if i dont spend it helping those farmers obtain a sustainable market for their produce….thats my story.   Coffee is my world....Photo Credit: Sinje Hasheider The KEDOVO gang in Kenya have been super busy. Their work is to strengthen the community and give them hope again, hope to continue growing world‘s best coffee. This is only possible by making coffee more economically compelling, by supporting the farmers in building greater economic and social opportunities. Our main focus in social development has been the overhaul of Ndurutu Primary School.The school infrastructure has detererioted and with this kind of learning atmosphere most of the children will perform poorly and well below students in municipal ( town) schools. Last month the gang finished the construction of a modern Kitchen block. This would not have been possible without the great support from BingoProjektförderung Schleswig Holstein, Nicole & Heinz of Sandtorkai Handel Papenhagen and all our amazing coffee buyers. One might wonder why a school kitchen? The untold stories.....  Old kitchen Ndurutu Primary School  cooking at the old kitchen The Kenyan school system is that school time begins at 7:00 am and ends at 16:00 pm. In between you have a lunch break of 1 hour. During my school days we used to rush home for lunch so long as we were back to school within this one hour. Can you imagine running for 3 kms home, eating and coming back the 2 kms again within 1 hour? Now you have your answer why many of us Kenyans are marathon runners… ;) sigh All this changed and now the students are obligated to take with them packed lunch to school. Most coffee producers live from one day to the next. We do not have fridges and graneries stacked up with food. Most families eat up all what they cook in the evening and when tomorrow comes we find a solution tomorrow...the untold stories And the construction began....  Zackie the Program Coordinator planning on the construytion of a modern School kitchen- Ndurutu Pri ground preparations delivery of construction materials: Stones, sand etc  and the gang got down to work.. Davie of Program Director KEDOVO-Kenya making sure no Stone is unturned ;) great Progress a view of the new and old kitchen  And we continued........  Almost there!!! Our model is designed from the ground thinking of communities being there for one another, designed to support the coffee producers through economic and social sustainability. I am a daughter of a coffee Producer, i only know too well what their children go through in life, i know the endless worries we had growing up whether my father would afford our School fees or we would have to drop out of School like many from the village, worries of whether my mother would be able to sell enough vegetables to be able to put Food on our table.. the worries of whether there was gonna be a way out of the cycle of the unknown. My father and his Family have been coffee Producers for more than 50 years, ist our life. My Story is not different from the rest of the People from the village, we all depend on coffee production. I grew up and left but my community still depend upon coffee as their Primary source of income. The greatest threat of social sustainability in these communities,results from the economic conditions faced by many. This has a direct Impact on Access to education, infrastructure, housing etc. The Kedovo Coffee Project gurantees economic and social sustainability of the community who produce our coffee. It has the values of Transparency, Traceability and Sustainability. Our direct contact with the People who produce our coffee is our strength and foundation to a sustainable approach... Finally! the new School kitchen was ready cooking at the new kitchen Cooking Station- new kitchen After the construction of the School kitchen, we started a Feeding Program on 4th May 2016. This would not have been possible without the support of Monika and Horst Schumacher Foundation. For this great cooperation we will always be grateful. The feeding Project currently supports 150 Pupils of Ndurutu Primary School. These are children of our coffee Producers from the villages of Ndurutu and parts of Kirichu. The area is served by the Ndurutu Wet Mill whose coffee is available in Germany for sale, both as green beans and Roasted coffee. Davie with Class 8 pupils on the first day of the feeding program  making a misture of Kenya's staple Food of maize and beans Zackie raiding the Kedovo farms for vegetables for the feeding program Lunch time ;) Thankyou our coffee Family ;) We are ready!! George the chairman of Ndurutu Primary and Davie delivering maize and veg We have a lot of work ahead of us, we need to construct a Dining Hall for the School, renovate the remaining classes, construct a new Adminstartion block- the list is endless. We can make all this happen. All you have to do is purchase our coffee..... To the Roasters in Germany and Austria,who continue supporting our work, on behalf of my community of coffee Producers, my sincere thankyou- without you all this would have been so much harder. All of you need to remember that- we all together have the capacity to build our own ship, it certainly is a Long process but it gives hope. It gives hope to communities miles away from here....it gives hope for a better future. Our cooperation together will empower these communities and raise the Quality of a greater amount of coffee. To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu and Thageini Wet Mills F.O.T Bremen, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or Nicole Boedgter for information on samples, prices and contract. Our current offering is for KENYA AB TOP- Kedovo Coffee Project.For roasted Chania Coffee kindly purchase from our Online Shop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon. and our work continues.....

Ndurutu village; Kenya and Hamburg Germany are separated by thousand of miles but united together in a common love for coffee. The community in Ndurutu produces amazing coffee, and the community in Hamburg sells a load of coffee. It is our work to tell this coffee story as fully as possible and support this farming community to rebuild their lives. The Ndurutu Primary school is situated at the end of a dusty road in the village sorrounded by small scale coffee farms and only 200 metres from the Ndurutu Wet mill. Last year , through our partnership with Nicole & Heinz of Sandtorkai Handel Papenhagen, we shipped 30 tonnes of green coffee to Germany from this community. Arrival of 15 tonnes of green coffee in Bremen- Nicole ready to receive this amazing coffee Ndurutu Primary; I sigh....Years ago i attended this school, like me and the Kedovo gang, the children of the coffee producers from the village know no other place. Far from Kenya's capital, most of the families here still have limited acess to basic services and often cannot afford to pay the stipulated school fees set out by the Board. The Kenyan education system has had significant progress since 2003 when the Kenyan government introduced a legislation for Free Primary School, enrollment increased but it brought with it a major infrastructural problems especially in the rural areas, which unless tackled in a holistic Approach will not be ending anytime soon. To all the People who believe in our coffee, let us not let these children live in the ruins of broken dreams... All you Need to do is Purchase coffee from my People ;) Our goal is to supply you with the very best quality coffee. But how do we guarantee this, if our producers cannot afford the basic necessities of life? How do we guarantee this when their children get rained on inside their classrooms? How do we create sustainability and harmonize the relationship with our producers when their children' s school has classrooms that are unsound? Its out of these concerns that we started the project -Renovation of Ndurutu Primary. What could be better than coffee and giving the children of our coffee farming families a great and functional school?? Renovating this school is giving a much needed hope to a struggling community. Changes must start from the roots.  Ndurutu Primary School Classrom classroom The school has a total of 11 classrooms , a meeting hall and 3 rooms which are used for adminstration purposes. The kitchen is in an unsound state and currently only used for the preparation of meals for the teachers. By renovating the school, we bring an amazing impact to the demoralized children and give this community's young generation a chance for social and economical development. By starting at the roots, we give these children chances in the ever developing world, chances to dream and improve the lives of this coffee growing community. And our work began.... KEDOVO e.V Meeting the deputy head before the onset of the project learning aid in class ECD - made from old jute bag inside one of the classrooms Survey & Planning The Roof of the classrooms discussions on way Forward- the Meeting hall School kitchen class ECD & 1, where our Project will begin class 2 & Meeting hall- And so..... We started the renovations in December 2015, and so far we have finished renovating 3 classrooms and the meeting hall. The project would not have been possible without the support of Bingo Projektförderung Schleswig Holstein, and on behalf of my people our sincere thanks. Time and time again i get frequently asked why these children? Why this community? You have to understand- am one of them, i am a daughter of a coffee producer, their pain is my pain- they are my people. Growing up in our small farm, life was difficult- i can tell you its much harder now than it was for these coffee producing communities. They have absolutely no backup- no publich health insurance, no fully free public schools, if you cant pay for something upfront and in cash, you dont get it at all! And the gang got down to do what we do best....changing lives through economical coffee production and community development. And everyone got down to work   Fixing of new window and doors   Discussing with our Partners in Jan 2016  The Education for Sustainable Development project is so important to us at KEDOVO e.V, we know we are working for a change, we are restoring dignity and giving my people opportunities- opportunities to afford basic necessities. I believe the economic stability of these coffee producing communities begin when they are given chances and knowledege resources to make a livable income----this we can do by making sure Change starts from the roots.. and our work continued... my mind..a thousand miles! will i be able to sell enough coffee to Support this community? I worry.. welding of new doors Arrival of new School desks sneak Peak ;) Handing over the classrom to the Management & the Board of the school  Davie of KEDOVO organising the ECD class to move to their renovated classroom The renovated ECD class   with our Team! well done guys!!   handing over 2 of the finished classroom to the chairman of the school- Mr George Karia Yes we did it!!! Zackie handng over the 2 renovated classes to the Mangement Board This community is dependant on coffee. Nothing else....unless me and you make coffee production sustainable, their economic and social effects will always be affected. My father turned 65 last year, to him and the rest of the aging community in the village, coffee is their lives, they have nowhere else to turn. They are filled with sad memories of struggle and exploitation. The village is faced with thousand of challenges, from increased poverty to a lack of interest in coffee farming by the youthful generation. There is a lot at stake... And we continued renovating the classes... James of KEDOVO Volunteers after a day of hard work some of the parents helping in the renovations And we came together as a community Our model ensures that the children of our coffee Producers remain at School. My father believed that the answer to our poverty situation was through education. He still believes to date that education is the long term key and answer to poverty eradiction.Me and my siblings grew up knowing that education was the only means we could later use to overcome our situation. By giving these children chances beyond the farming villages of The Aberdares is the only way we can break the cycle of poverty and guarantee my people a different 'coffee story' An excited headteacher & the chairman of the Board meets with the gang handing over the next class why would a German sweep classes in Kenya? -Because he believes in our work  class 2 settling in their renovated modern classroom remember this class ;)  I believe...... remember the ECD class with the jute bag? ;) All over the world more than 4 Million small scale coffee producers live below the poverty line, Ndurutu is amongst them.It is important to practice ethical practices that provide greater economic benefits to coffee Producers. Lets give their children chances to higher education, chances to see the world To Nicole and Heinz, our gratitude is beyond words. Without your partnership, this would have been so much harder.And i believe together we will still continue changing lives. To all of you who Support our coffee Project wholeheartedly; Erika, Kira, Manuel, Reinhold, Connie, Christian, Daniel, Stefan, Jonas, Ulrike; just to mention a few, your work is not in vain. Asanteni sana. Hall before the hall after the gang descended on it ;) the renovated Meeting hall renovated hall & class 2 the finished renovated wing To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu Wet Mill F.O.T Bremen, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or Nicole Boedgter for information on samples, prices and contract.For roasted Chania coffee kindly purchase from our Online Shop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon. and our work continues.....

Hope Restored; to the world its a Story book by Kenyan writer Violet Barungi. To the village of my birth its a new beginning for my people. A new beginning in 2016 where hope has been restored, a hope in economical sustainable coffee production and community development. A hope that one day our story will be known to the world. It might take another generation for the coffee producers in my village to fully thrive, but our hope has been restored. An estimated 70% of Kenya's coffee farmers are micro and small-scale producers. Many of these farmers to date are still not able to take care of very basic needs or even cover the cost of school requirements for their children. Our work is to offer technical advice to the coffee farmers so they can improve their production methods to quarantee more yield and better quality. We later on through our partnerships purchase and ship the coffee to Germany via Direct Trade. Farmer's field day- Ndurutu Wet mill  Jan 2016 Beginning of January we teamed up with our partners Heinz and Nicole plus a group of other Roasters from Germany and visited the village of my birth.It was a new beginning for both the farmers and our partners whom we have been working together for the last 2 years. Both teams could finally meet the people who produce our coffee to continue forging longterm relationships. Nicole having a discussion with one of our farmers- Wilson Mwangi the Team being taken through Export & warehousing by Maina of KCCE Manuel cupping the best coffees for this season My Name is..... ;) my father with Holger of German Coffee Associatio Farmers & Roasters Meeting- Ndurutu wet mill During the trip we supported Ndurutu Wet Mill with a new Drying bed made of steel. This will ensure that the quality of coffee is maintaned during drying period. The mill has old drying beds made of timber, which have detererioted due to weather conditions and infested with ants. Our work towards community rural development is to support our coffee producers with the necessary tools and resources to improve their lives. welding of the new drying bed preparing the grounds for the new drying bed Zackie of KEDOVO mixing the cement and sand to fix the Drying bed in the ground work in progress HP of Sandtorkai Papenhagen & Davie of KEDOVO handing over the drying bed to chairman Ndurutu Wet mill My Story is the Story of thousands of coffee Producers all over the world and their families Coffee is the only source of income in my village. To us coffee is not just a drink that lands on our breakfast table, ist simply our lives. It provides the economic backbone for thousands of rural communities. These communities are the most vulnerable to coffee crisis due to their location in the coffee supply chain. My village is punctuated by stories of disaster, recovery but above all humour, struggle and renewed hope.I believe that one day our Story will be the Story of how we overcame the struggles and poverty associated with coffee production. I have hope, a hope of a better tomorrow... with my daughter on way to meet coffee farmers in Nyeri During our farmers field day,  we emphasized greatly that producing quality coffee and the development of the community was the responsibilty of each and every one of them. We explained to them that what we are creating are conditions that can give them sustainable living, conditions to become entrepreneurs. We might be living an Ocean away but we are them- our relationship makes us stronger. Enjoying a Cup of Ndurutu coffee roasted by Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterie from Hamburg The day would have been incomplete without Barista Zackie @ work ;) Joseph, the Manager at Ndurutu wet mill stressing a Point home one of the farmers looking keenly at Ndurutu coffee from Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterie Zackie of KEDOVO taking the farmers through our model & the idea of Revenue sharing The visit by our Partners would not have been complete without paying a visit to Ndurutu Primary School. For those who follow our journey, they know that my heart bleeds for the children of our coffee Producers. In them i see my Young self and my siblings as my father struggled to put us through School with proceeds derived from coffee production. He struggled, and many are the days we lived on one meal a day as the proceeds werent enough to be divided among his 5 children. My mother hawked vegetables in the village on better days. In those children's eyes i see the unshed tears of a lost hope. And to them i whisper a Hope Restored.... the future of my village lies in their sustainability.....lets give them chances During the visit we kick started our great project for the year Renovation of Ndurutu Primary school. The school has currently 150 pupils with classes of ECD to Class 8. Due to its infrastructure challenges, many of the farmers from the village take their children to Kirichu primary school which is 3km away. By renovating the classrooms, we will ensure that the children of our coffee producers have access to better learning conditions. Conditions that will motivate them to improve their performances and a plus towards the journey of sustainability.Through this we are giving my community chances to rebuild their lives and restore their diginity. This trip was not a Chance for the Roasters to make nice photos of coffee cherries on trees and the poor farmers Standing next to them, it was a trip for everyone involved in our journey to establish and harness the relationships that we have established with our Producers, it was a trip to restore hope in the village where i was Born... Arriving at my old Primary School.... Memories Nicole of Sandtorkai & avie of KEDOVO e.V handing over new books and other stuff to Ndurutu rimary Ulrike of CATUCHO watching her sorroundings in Ndurutu Primary Zackie of KEDOVO showing our Partners the clases targeted in first Phase of Renovations HP of Sandtorkai breathing in fresh mountain air outside the KEDOVO-PAPENHAGEN Library in Ndurutu the gang ;) class 1 Ndurutu Primary- the Phase to be renovated first und los geht's....kick starting the renovations of the school ECD Class in dire Need of renovation This article would be incomplete without the mention of our sincere gratitude to Loppokaffeeexpress. Special thanks to Kira, Axel and the whole team of Loppokaffeeexpress of Kiel in Germany, and their dedication to continue supporting Ndurutu Primary. Through their partnership with KEDOVO e.V they supported the school with reading books as well as 15 full pairs of uniforms for 15 needy children of the coffee producers. Each uniform costs an average of 20€ which is an amount that some of the coffee farmers are unable to raise. The Kenyan education system requires that each school going children compulsory put on an uniform. some of the books supported by Loppokaffeeexpress uniforms for 15 children supported by Loppokafeeexpress the gang getting ready for work in community development @Ndurutu village Davie & Zackie doing what they do best...restoring hope. some of the Kids with their new uniforms In Nov 2014, Kira visited our project in Kenya and she met several farmers and their families. On behalf of my community our sincere gratitude for the continued support. We mainly focus on improving the schools and the lives of the children of our coffee producers so that we can give them chances to better education, chances which on normal circumstances thousands of these children might not have, chances for a better tomorrow, chances which are key in access to employment or entrepreneurship that will help in breaking the cycle of poverty. Chances to dream, chances of a Hope Restored. And we soldier on..... To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu Wet Mill late crop 2014-2015 F.O.T Bremen, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or Nicole Boedgter for information on samples, prices and contract.For roasted Chania coffee kindly purchase from our Online Shop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon.

I sit and watch as the darkness settle and engulfs the village. Its the last day of 2015. view of the Ranges from my village Its been 2 years now since we fully started trading. Two years of our Social enterpreneurship. Two years of transforming communities through economic development from coffee production. It has not been easy, i have grey hair but no regrets, this is what i wanted to do with my life, this is my world. I know that things might not fully Change during my time, we still have a Long way to go....my People know this too and we will still continue doing what we started. Like any other business we have had a many challenges and we soldiered on. We have met and made amazing friends and partners. The season is coming to an end. The village is still buzzing with excitement as we await the new year. My father says the season has been good, hes very hopeful. His records shows he had 2,150 kgs of cherry and 100kg of Naturals. I still worry. My people though hopeful had a lot of challenges, half of the harvest was destroyed by frost.The season encountered prolonged drought, the rain god didnt visit from the mountains.The last days i have transversed from one range to the other to meet our amazing coffee farmers. Their dedication and hope makes me stronger, They have hope and they know that through our partnership we can together make a difference to their whole lives. Meeting with our Exporters Being a year end we will reflect on the accomplishments, the developments and the challenges that have defined whom we are and the Story of my People. It is all those things that have kept us on the journey--- 1. In 2015 we managed to ship 2 containers of green beans to Germany. The sale of this coffee has greatly supported KEDOVO e.V projects on community development. Without this great Support from Heinz & Nicole, our work would have been so much harder. This purchase benefited thousands of coffee farmers and their families from Nyeri and their communities. This has ensured the intiation of the following sustainable Projects: http://www.kedovo.org/english-home-page/all-kedovo-projects/water-tanks-for-nyeri/ http://www.kedovo.org/english-home-page/all-kedovo-projects/kamamunda-poultry-farming/ http://www.kedovo.org/english-home-page/all-kedovo-projects/flexi-biogas-energy-solutions/ Thank you all of you for the great Support! 2.Through the great partnership with KEDOVO e.V we have met our amazing group of volunteers who dedicated their time and resources to visit, interact and live together with the communities who produce our coffee. Special thanks to Erika Bartels of Kedovo Volunteers who spent a month in the community development program in Ndurutu and later on took it to her heart to support those communities by presenting our projects in Niedersachen, became our greatest ''coffee ambassador'', and through her network brought KEDOVO e.V amazing supporters. Her dedication is a tale of what changes partnerships and cultural exchange can bring to the world. We visited Neema Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre on christmas eve, and supported them with mattreses , blankets etc. We also painted the rooms to make them more cosy and nicer for the children.This would not have been possible without Erika and her friends from Niedersachen and for this we will always be grateful. Asanteni sana!  the gang purchasing mattresses for Neema children's home at Chaka market  blankets- supported by Erika & friends in Niedersachen  the children's room before  rooms after  KEDOVO Team , Grace and the children of Neema discussion with Gráce on way forward Through Erika and her work, we was able to Support Ndurutu Primary with several reading books for the School Library built by KEDOVO gang in earlier in July. On top of this, Erika and her Team supported 15 needy School going children with School fees for the whole term! some of the books supported by Erika Banking Slips -School fees for 15 children To those of you near or in Roderbruch, kindly visit Kulturtreff Roderbruch on Rotekreuzstraße 19 on January 24th 2016 from 16- 19 hrs where Erika Bartels will Showcase a presentation about her Volunteerism in Kenya in 2015 as well as the Engagements and work of KEDOVO e.V under the title ''Kenia entdecken''. All are welcome. To our dedicated coffee buyers , without you this would have been so much harder! And your support is greatly appreciated by the community who produce our coffee. 3.Capacity Building We met with farmers and Management of Ndurutu wet mill where we had discussions and emphasized on the cultivation of Quality coffee. Only by improving  their Quality will the farmers be able to earn 'real income' from coffee production. We believe by bringing the villagers together to work towards a common economic Goal we will be able to build Long Lasting relationships and partneships and help the farmers have a hope for the future.  Management Meeting Ndurutu Wet mill  Chairman- Ndurutu wet mill Farmers representative To all the the People who continue supporting our work, Asanteni Sana! This would have not been possible without you all. To continue supporting the se communities we have on offer Direct Trade Green coffee from Ndurutu wet mill F.O.T Bremen/ Hamburg, Transport within Germany & the EU also arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or Nicole Boedtger for Information on samples, Prices and contract.

In the Central Highlands of Kenya, many Kilometres from the Indian Ocean, there is a small village called Ndurutu, nestled on the footshills of The Aberdare Mountains , one can see  the peaks of the Mt. Kenya to the Northeast, where the folks -before the missionaries came-believed Mwene Nyaga  dwelt. On the slopes of this mountain range lies my small , dusty but extremely beautiful village.  Ndurutu shopping centre This is the village i still call home- i have lived in many places before, and i finally relocated to Germany after a year of deliberation ( story of another day) and i have done everything to the letter of the book of Migration, but this is where my house is and the village where I was born; this is the place where I played my first games with my friends, swam on the banks of River Chania, and struggled with bags of ripe coffee cherries up the hill. This is where  me and my siblings, sat by the fireplace every evening and listened to stories told by my mother, stories that were passed to her by her mother and grandmother.Unfortunately it was not my destiny that I would spend the rest of my life there.....But i live everyday with the memories of it, and the hope that my little contribution can help in changing their lives. a view of the sunset from the village On the 23rd of Sept TG Aphrodite sailed from the port of Mombasa, to brace the high seas, the threat of climatic changes and deliver our second container of coffee for this year to the Port of Bremen on the River Weser. On board is again 250 bags of green coffee from Ndurutu Wet Mill. The sale of this coffee will continue supporting our development Projects  in Nyeri, Kenya. meeting ndurutu coffee farmers in jan 2016 with Stefan My people planted coffee ages ago, even before i was born, so being part of a coffee farmer basically begins the minute you are born. I grew up knowing that our only source of income came from harvesting those litlle red berries .My people watered these trees with their sweat and the earth with their own blood, in order to defend themeselves from the politics and the trade that came with every bean that they harvested. across the ridge as seen from Ndurutu wet mill; a small scale coffee farm I have had several people asking me how all this coffee journey began, and whats the motivation behind it. Well this is my story. And its the story of how our journey at KEDOVO e.V began, a story which we want to change for future generations of coffee producers. When i was younger, how did i think about coffee? I left the village when i was 17, I just wanted out. My father was hell bent that i should take the more 'sophsicated and respectable' proffessions, like being a doctor, or a Lawyer- sigh. But i wanted out, out of the village and the struggles and the back breaking toil that came with coffee production and so i left to go and survive. I ''survived'' and i was able to see the world and to learn new things. I went to college and everytime i opened my Economics book and looked at the graphs- i knew what i wanted to become. Moving to Europe, i started thinking of how my people could develop and i realised they had the best opportunity in the world. They grew coffee that unfortunately did not benefit them due to the hurdles involved in the supply chain. They were great coffee producers but not business oriented. Their story needed to be told, but it had to be a story that had hope, a story that was a journey to development, a story that was their story, for i believe its the story of all the  coffee Producers all over the world. What they needed was a market that could offer them a good price for their coffee and i believed i could do this. If i could give them this hope again i believed they would produce quality coffee that would be sort after by Roasters from the Western world. This has now become my world, and everytime i roast a bean i remember my folks trying to earn a decent living from a crop that comes with struggles . Everytime i sit at Quijote i worry of their struggles but bast in their determination not to give up in trying to find chances and meanings in a world where decisions made many miles from their village continue changing their lives. with Matt of Quijote roasting Ndurutu AB My idea of Direct Trade and connecting the Roasters in germany with the communities who produce coffee in Nyeri Kenya, is basically an attempt to adress the problem facing the distribution and sale of Green coffee in a much different way than the regulated certifications- note: i have nothing against the various certifictaions out there, only i feel that coffee producers should have more surelty of available market at good prices rather than a promise of a ''future market' if they followed this and that. We should be more focused not only on quantity and social aspects but the overal economic sustainability of these communities at the same time preserving the quality and integrity of coffee, not forgetting that communities develop socially if they are economically empowered. Stefan of Kiez Roastery Berlin meeting some of our farmers The aim of the Kedovo coffee Project is to factor both economic and social development and where we work with these communities from a grassroot level to establish exactly what is required. Kenya like many of the countries in developing world, didnt not meet the set Millenium Development Goals whose term ended in Sept 2015. We now have a long list of the Sustainable Development Goals to battle for the next 15 years. They say to achieve them everyone needs to do their part. - They said Goal 12 aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, we will do our part- i hope to God the rest of the world does their part... Our story hasnt lost hope and we have had great partners along the journey, people who amazingly continue to support our work both with the purchase of our coffees as well as supporting our many projects on community development in Nyeri Kenya. The last months the gang has been busy winding up the last phase of installing water tanks for water harvesting for a number of our coffee producers, in line with our project for Access to clean water. This would have not been possible without the support of BINGO Projektförderung Schleswig Holstein, for the immense Support , on behalf of my people we will always be grateful.  To our Partners Sandtorkai Handel Papenhagen- you have become more than a partner, you are the family that we made in a far away land; the people who believed in us from the beginning, our sincere thanks, and ofcourse to all the amazing Roasters and consumers who purchase both our green and roasted coffees; Asanteni sana!  the home of one of our coffee producers who is among the beneficiaries of the water tanks project Wilson & James from Kedovo-Kenya busy with installations 2 hours later.... The gang ;) huraa! we did it The beneficiaries   Another beneficiary from last month.... Our Story is a journey of togetherness... and together with the gang we swore to dedicate our time, our resources in making the other children of our coffee producers become self reliant. This we can only do by ensuring they have access and chance to better education facilities. For Kenya to fully develop , its children and especially the ones in the rural farming villages, have to be educated, they Need to have a voice to develop  in a world where the Odds have been stacked against them. We at KEDOVO only know too well the struggle to complete education.... Last week the team in Kenya went back to Ndurutu Primary School which is one of the Schools in our Project; Education for Sustainable Development. The School's infrastructure like many rural School is in bad shape, and this time the gang delivered School desks for clas 8 who begin their final exams in November. This would not have been possible without the immense Support of Loppokaffeeexpress of Kiel, and for this my since gratitude. Kira and Axel your dedication to Support my community not only through the purchase of their coffee but as well as other social development Projects means the world to me! Davie with std 8 Pupils, the beneficiaries of the new desks together for Ndurutu, thanks Loppokaffeeexpress The gang having a discussion with the chairman ndurutu primary & the deputy head In Progress is also our Project on Renewable energy which is basically the Installation of several Biogas digesters for the coffee farmers in Ndurutu. In many rural Areas, the lack of energy is a key drive of poverty.The sytems are quiet unique in such that they are not the traditional cement Systems that are always in the ground and filled up with manure....this has proven to be very expensive over time and queit hard to maintain or even clean up. We partnered with Flexi Biogas International owned and ran by a great Kenyan guy Dominic Wanjihia. The Project is supported by Centre For International Migration & Development of Germany. The Systems are above the ground and you only need one cow to mainatin the sytem as opposed to the conventional dome shaped Systems where a Minimum of 5 cows is required! currently we have installed 6 Units so far in the village. The Flexi Biogas Systems The digesters use any biodegradable matter be it kitchen waste, market waste, grass etc- but our main source of bio matter is the Coffee Pulp! the Ndurutu wet mill is located in a startegic position that all the farmers have Access to the Pulp that they can use either as organic matter in the coffee fileds- its this that we are now using for the several digesters to produce Biogas! we only Need a bucket of water and a bucket of bio matter daily and thats it. The System will produce gas to cook for upto a Family of 8 without a hitch for  six to eight hours. Installations are done within 3 hours for 1 System amd within 7 days the Family is ready to start their new life cooking with biogas.Is this not hope for my coffee community? can you imagine the women coffee farmers not having to trek long distances insearch of firewood? or the Kids running from School at the end of the day so they can go to the forest insearch of firewood before the darkness set? they can now sit comfortably at home and relax or do their homework! is that not the struggle and the hope? We are now able to replace pecious Wood with either cowdung or the coffee Pulp. pulped coffee husks at Ndurutu wet mill  I believe there is need for more successive stories of communities who made it- but this is only possible if communities come together and aim towards self reliancy. We now have hope. To continue supporting these communities we have on offer Green coffee (Rohkaffee) from Ndurutu Wet Mill late crop 2013-2014 F.O.T Bremen as well as late crop 2014-2015, transport within Germany & the EU arrangable at a cost. Please contact Soni Schneidewind or Nicole Boedgter for information on samples, prices and contract. For roasted Chania coffee kindly purchase from our Online Shop or visit our offices in Kaltenkirchen. Visit the shop & Cafe 'Ein Welt Laden' located at the VHS in Kaltenkirchen , am Kretemoor 40, or pass by at our stand at the Kaltenkirchener Wochenmark every Saturday from 07:00 hrs to 12 noon.