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Living Light News - January/February 2012
Hope
growing by Elisabeth Handley
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How many cups of coffee do you drink in a day? Two? Three? Have you ever thought about where that coffee comes from? Much of the world’s coffee comes from independent family growers that often live in abject parts of the developing world. Burundi is one such country. Located in Central Africa, it’s one of the five poorest countries in the world with many citizens living on less than a dollar a day. About half the size of Nova Scotia, Burundi has been plagued by devastating civil wars in recent years. Much of the population is farmers, and the main export is coffee. With coffee costing upwards of two to three dollars per cup, one might think coffee growing would be a lucrative venture for independent growers. Not so in Burundi, where the country’s so poor growers are unable to cash in even with a sought-after crop. “The poverty is extreme. But in the communities, there’s hope,” said Poul Mark, coffee expert and founder of Edmonton’s Transcend Coffee. “The kids had smiles in spite of having nothing; they still laughed, played and sang.” Mark’s doing more than feel pity for the plight of growers on whom his business is built. He’s putting his boots where his beans come from and doing something about it. “There’s a developing trend in the specialty coffee industry toward direct trade where we go into the country, meet the farmers and buy coffee from them,” says Mark. “What we want isn’t just a photo or marketing opportunity, which a lot of
those can become, but a mutually beneficial longterm relationship.” “How can we help them learn and grow so that in five years they don’t need us any more, other than to buy coffee at a fair price?” To that end, he’s partnered with Food for the Hungry Canada and “Those 10 days broke Sherwood Park Alliance me in ways I hadn’t Church to support coffee growers’ co-operatives. experienced before.” “I was significantly impacted,” says Mark of his visit to Burundi. He blogged about it at transcendcoffee. com. “Those 10 days broke me in ways I hadn’t Poul Mark, an international coffee expert, is putting his boots where his beans come from. He’s experienced before.” partnered with Food for the Hungry for the next five years to lend his expertise to the coffee growers of Burundi. The project’s goal is to produce better quality coffee for buyers and self-sufficiency for the growers, with the overall aim of alleviating rural “I finally executed on it,” says the coffee seven year partnership with FH Canada’s Burundi poverty and revitalizing the coffee sector. connoisseur, whose business grew from one mission. The church has sent five teams so far This endeavour isn’t without significant roasting facility and café to three in five years. “I’m and primarily sponsors children and the terracing challenges. Burundi’s farmers can certainly self-taught in terms of coffee. I didn’t know much project, says church spokesperson Michael produce gourmet-quality coffee that could fetch about the coffee industry, but I had a fairly decent Deboski. premium prices on the world market. But factors palate.” “In the future, we anticipate supporting a school like poor soil quality and aging trees prevent them He’s now committed the next five years of his life rehabilitation program and the coffee growers.” from doing so. to being in Burundi at least once a year. Mark got involved through the church – a friend “The poor quality of the soil was identified by “People need to be supported, encouraged, of a friend knew Mark and asked if he’d like to be the community as one of the most critical issues,” taught and given resources, not just aid,” he says. a part of it. says FH Canada’s Carissa Youssef. FH Canada is a “I’ve been to Africa and all over Central America “It was meant to be,” says Mark, who became a Christian organization that works with churches and experienced poverty before, but God gave me Christian in high school and went on to attend and community leaders to overcome poverty. Bible school in Denmark. “It was orchestrated.” a heart for the people of Burundi.” Terracing and tree nursery projects were started Mark says he got into the coffee business to get newer, healthier trees growing in the region. because he’s always wanted to create a space To learn how you can help the people of Burundi, Sherwood Park Alliance Church has a five to where people could gather. visit www.hopeforburundi.ca.