Pouring over peace

In 1995, following the horrors of the Rwandan Genocide, two distinct groups of women were left to rebuild their lives and support their families. On one side were women whose husbands had been killed during the conflict; on the other were women whose husbands had committed the atrocities. Though divided by the events of the past, both groups faced a shared challenge: survival. Without reconciliation, there could be no hope for communal development.

With the responsibility now on their shoulders, the need arose for collaboration and mutual support .Many of these women had coffee farms that their husbands had previously managed but they needed finance and infrastructure to produce good quality coffee. From this necessity, the Hingakawa Cooperative was born to unite these women, offering them a platform to collaborate, rebuild their lives, and create a sustainable future together.

Hingakawa played both an economic and social role in their lives. Economically, it regulated income, provided training on financial literacy, encouraged savings and pension programs, and supported improved farm management practices. Socially, Hingakawa created a safe space for these women to share their experiences, seek forgiveness, and forge peace within their community.

In 2004, Hingakawa became a sub-cooperative of Abakundakawa Cooperative, which broadened opportunities for its members by introducing initiatives such as income generation through specialty coffee production and processing, training in regenerative agriculture, and support for establishing new coffee plots to boost production.

Today, Hingakawa boasts 960 active women who produce around two containers of specialty coffee annually. Through their efforts in coffee trade, these women have rebuilt their livelihoods and fostered unity, proving that reconciliation and shared purpose can transform communities.