First Woman President of Karaba Co-op
In 2008, Maria Mukampirwa was elected president of the Karaba co-op in the Gikongoro region of southern Rwanda. Rwandan women have taken on more leadership positions in the post-genocide era, becoming involved in politics and business as never before. The coffee sector is no different, and women like Maria want to continue expanding their leadership.
Maria is proud to be the first women ever elected to be president of the cooperative, saying that specialty coffee production represents one of the few guaranteed incomes in the region for women farmers. She sees the coffee industry as one in which women are given the chance to be leaders at the community and regional levels, bringing important elements of empowerment and participation to local women. “Women have a very powerful leadership in the coffee industry. They know everything that a man can know. They can take care of the plantation, they can have a very good harvest.”