email us
— or —
FILL OUT A GREEN COFFEE SELECTION REQUEST

Long Miles Coffee
Interested in buying coffee?
  • Countries
    • Burundi
      • Bukeye
      • Heza
      • Ninga
    • Kenya
    • Uganda
  • Coffee
    • Green Coffee
    • Roasted Coffee
  • Blog
  • About Us
    • Our Story
    • Impact
    • Projects
      • Before + Now
      • Coffee Scouts
      • Trees for Kibira
Long Miles Coffee

Celebrating women farming coffee on Gikungere hill in Burundi.

March 8, 2021 by longmilescoffee

There are women farming coffee on Gikungere hill who are tearing down the walls that were once built up around them.

“GROWING UP, WE WERE TOLD THAT EVERY BOY MUST ONE DAY HAVE A PIECE OF LAND TO PLANT COFFEE FOR HIS FUTURE FAMILY. BUT NOT US GIRLS. WE WOULD SOON BE MARRIED, A PART OF ANOTHER FAMILY.” 

Woman coffee farmer with baby on back picking coffee cherries on coffee farm

It was around noon when we met with the members of Dushigikirigiterwa C’ikawa (translated from Kirundi as “Let’s support the coffee crop”) women’s association. If they hadn’t been spending their afternoon with us, then they would have been out working in their families’ fields.  

There are a couple of planting seasons in Burundi, each one aligning with the wet months. February and March mark the start of the country’s second planting season. Every day during these months you’ll find most farmers weeding, mulching, and preparing the soil to plant potatoes, climbing peas, and string beans.

We sat together, sharing thoughts on what it means to be a woman in coffee. We heard women speak their own truths on the value that they bring to their families; the value that they bring to each of their communities. We also talked about the change that they still want to see for women on Gikungere hill. 

Woman coffee farmer with baby on back picking coffee cherries on coffee farm

“If you compare now to the time when we were growing up, so many things have changed for us. Girls are going to school. There are women in government. A woman can now talk freely in meetings where men are present. There are not many separations of tasks. Before, building a house was considered to be ‘a man’s job’. Now, a woman can help her husband to build their family’s house. She can build a fence. We both have hands. We can both do the work. Our skills only improve by working together.”

But in coffee they say they still want to see change. 

“WE’RE STILL TREATED LIKE CHILDREN. WE DON’T GET A SAY IN HOW THE MONEY WE EARN FROM COFFEE IS SPENT. WE WANT TO BE RECOGNIZED AS ADULTS; AS COFFEE PRODUCERS.”

Woman coffee farmer picking coffee cherries on coffee farm

Together these incredible women are learning how to support each other and earn money on their own terms, in their own way. They’re currently saving money to buy a piece of land together, with the hope of planting coffee trees. With this money, they say, comes freedom. The ability to contribute towards their families instead of always asking their husbands for money. 

“WE USED TO HEAR ABOUT WOMEN’S DAY ON THE RADIO, BUT DIDN’T KNOW WHY WE WERE CELEBRATING IT. NOW, WE’RE CELEBRATING WHAT WOMEN HAVE ACCOMPLISHED.” 

Burundian women picking coffee cherries on coffee farm
Long Miles Coffee Scout Leader, Asterie, picking coffee cherries alongside coffee farmer Marceline.

Sitting among these women was a powerful reminder of what a united community looks like. With the build of Ninga Washing Station happening so close to Gikungere hill, we’re looking forward to having more conversations like this one.

“The change we want to see has to come from each of us. We need to be the example for other hills. We’re going to make change for other women who don’t know that they can.”

This entry was posted in Coffee, Coffee Hills, Farmer Stories, Journey and tagged African Coffee, Burundi, Burundi coffee, Burundi coffee farmers, Burundi coffee farms, burundi coffee hills, burundi women, Change in the chain, Choose To Challenge, coffee, coffee farmer, coffee farmers, coffee farming, coffee farms, coffee origin, East Africa, east african coffee, Gikungere hill, International Women's Day, IWD, Ninga Washing Station, specialty coffee, specialty coffee farmers, women coffee farmers, women in Burundi, women in coffee. Bookmark the permalink.

Post navigation

← A year in the life of Long Miles Coffee in Burundi
Reflections of Kenya: founder’s thoughts from Kericho. →
Email us Instagram Facebook Twitter Podcast Blog
Long Miles Coffee Project ©2025 All Rights Reserved
Loading
error: