please click on link for www.savedarfur.org to add your name to the petition concerning the latest attack on AU peacekeepers.

A group of board members from the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative and representatives from the Thanksgiving Coffee Co. are speaking at several locations in the U.S. during March, 2008. I had the privilege of hearing them speak at Seton Hall University last week. They carry a message to the world of peace and respect through the core values that they live and work by.

In 2004, Mbale, eastern Uganda, members from the Akoli, Burundi, and Abayudaya (Christians, Muslims and Jews) banded together to form a cooperative of coffee growers. The name of their cooperative means Delicious Peace (mirembe=peace, kawomera=delicious), and relationships are at the heart of their work. At this time, 86 churches, mosques and synagogues and many universities and colleges support the cooperative by selling Mirembe Kawomera coffee and sharing their message of peace.

The coffee is truly delicious! The cupping notes description aptly describes the flavor, “full-bodied and lively, with hints of pecan and notes of nutmeg, and a lingering sensation of malty antiquity.” The coffee’s perfect flavor is due to a combination of “rich volcanic soils, shade canopy, and artisan production methods”. The family farmers handpick the coffee cherries and prepare their coffee in small batches.

Historically, coffee growers have been exploited because of competitive pricing and greedy marketing practices. “Mirembe Kawomera Coffee is the first Fair Trade Certified tm Ugandan coffee to reach the U.S. market.” Through fair trade practices, producers and consumers are empowered to create a more peaceful planet. The coffee (and soon organic vanilla) is distributed by the Thanksgiving Coffee Co., whose motto is “not just a cup, but a just cup”. They have built their company on the basic community values of fairness, honesty, trust and caring. Thanksgiving Coffee Co. is responsible every step of the way from grower to market. This is demonstrated in their concern for every person, every community, and the environment.

The Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative receives more than fair trade wages plus $1 per bag. This produces fairness and sustainability in their community. Through economic development, the families can afford school fees, school uniforms and books. They have started savings accounts, and micro-financing offers a matched savings program; the co-op loans money to the farmers for medical needs, and the farmers can afford to reinvest in their farms. The incredible outcome for this co-op of farmers is peace, education, unity, diversity, personal value and respect.

Recently, the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative, the Thanksgiving Coffee Co., and Kulanu—meaning ‘all of us’ (a grassroots organization promoting peace in communities all over the world)–were recognized with the prestigious 2008 Dr. Jean Meyer Award for Global Citizenship at Tufts University’s Institute of Global Leadership. Also, JemGlo Productions is filming a documentary about the Mirembe Kawomera Cooperative and their innovative work towards peace. You can catch the documentary trailer on youtube.com/watch?v=6rw4QcFtWio or search YouTube for Mirembe Kawomera.

For more information please visit thanksgivingcoffee.com and merembekawomera.com