Humeka Lot

Our story begins with Laetitia and Gaston, Mama and Papa B. They wanted a way to make a positive impact on their Rwandan community while also providing for their own family. They realized they had access to an indispensable resource–farmland. As their farm and washing station grew in profit, so did their passion for growing incredible coffee. Now, nearly a decade later, they are joined in their business by their children. Passion is something to be shared–Gaston has passed on his love for the community to his daughter, Bernice, who is continuing the coffee business. Since she was a child, Bernice has supported her parents’ business by translating, writing, and managing marketing. She is now continuing the family tradition by strengthening the family’s principle of meaningful social impact through ethical business operations. The cornerstone of our business is the family working together. It is what bridges the gap between the old and new ways of doing things. It is what allows and encourages us to adapt and innovate. Together, we run our small washing station, ‘petit a petit’--little bit by little bit. Core values of Rwamatamu are Community, Integrity and Sustainability. That's not pulled from an embossed mission statement page, those are simply the values Gaston embodies in all his transactions. Ultimately, our success has been because the community of smallholder farmers we work with adores and supports Gaston. Gaston realized many years ago that sustaining his business relied on good relationships. Thus, our goal is to build close relationships and mutual respect with all our collaborators. Goals for the future: We're keeping things simple. We want to get better at what we already do really well–producing quality coffees. That’s our job; adding value by being coffee producers. Opening up communication with our roasters has shown us many areas where we can add more value. That’s very exciting for us because it gives us a clear road for improvement. Progress–that’s the goal