| | | | | |
| Fresh-roasted coffee beans are proving to be a | | | | The group, established in 1999 to help develop |
| viable economic stimulus for a Ugandan village. | | | | and maintain sustainable, income-generating |
| | | | | projects in poverty-stricken areas of the world, is |
| A Pennsylvania nonprofit focused on social | | | | thrilled with their project is a success. The farm, |
| entrepreneurship in Uganda has poured nearly a | | | | which was planted in 2000, employs 42 local |
| quarter of a million dollars into the Ugandan | | | | residents year round and 80 to 100 additional |
| economy just through its first pilot venture, | | | | during picking season, in an area where |
| coffee. | | | | unemployment is 60 percent. The group has |
| | | | | rehabilitated or drilled 17 water wells in the last |
| The Christian East African and Equatorial | | | | several years, financed medical trips to the |
| Development Trust (CEED), the nonprofit | | | | country for health clinics for the workers’ |
| organization that produces and distributes Ugandan | | | | families, and donated a significant amount of |
| Gold Premium Coffee, has been working in a small | | | | money for a much-needed health clinic in the |
| Ugandan village near Wambabya for almost 10 | | | | Bunyoro-Kitara province of Uganda. |
| years. | | | | |
| | | | | Most small nonprofits have difficulty with social |
| In 2000, CEED planted the first coffee trees, but | | | | entrepreneur projects such as CEED’s |
| it takes three to four years to produce beans. | | | | Ugandan Gold Premium Coffee venture, according |
| Ugandan Gold Premium Coffee is hand-picked and | | | | to Scott Leff, associate director of the Bayer |
| sun-dried on the Ugandan farm before being | | | | Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert |
| imported to the United States to be roasted and | | | | Morris University near Pittsburgh, Pa. Organizations |
| sold. | | | | that are created to produce revenue on a |
| | | | | nonprofit level under the umbrella of social |
| The process is labor intensive but produces some | | | | entrepreneurial spirit often find themselves |
| of the best coffee out of Uganda, according to | | | | struggling to make a profit. |
| Graham Hodgetts, board member and director of | | | | |
| business development and water projects. | | | | “It is creating systemic change; that’s |
| “It’s better than organic,” Hodgetts | | | | why it works in Uganda. They are using the |
| said. “The processes we have in place, to | | | | market to drive social change and improve life |
| pick, dry and hull the coffee beans result in a | | | | and health,” Leff said. |
| higher quality Robusta bean than anything else | | | | |
| produced in the region.” | | | | The increase in sales and the amount of aid |
| | | | | flowing back to the country are a sign of the |
| CEED, based outside of Pittsburgh in Wexford, Pa., | | | | project’s success as well, and American |
| finally brought in modest revenue on the sale of | | | | coffee drinkers are responding well to the idea, |
| coffee in 2005-06, then nearly doubled revenues | | | | according to Jill Weisbrod, marketing manager for |
| for 2006-07. For the fiscal year ended June 30, | | | | Ugandan Gold Premium Coffee. |
| 2008, sales increased again nearly 20 percent, and | | | | |
| CEED board members expect sales this year to | | | | “Coffee is a huge export for Uganda, and |
| increase as well, especially during the upcoming | | | | most Americans can agree coffee is a staple in |
| holiday season, when the group markets | | | | their daily routine, so the idea works well,” |
| four-pound Seasonal Coffee Gift Boxes of two | | | | Weisbrod said. |
| Regular Roast, one Regular Decaf, and one | | | | |
| Cinnamon Sticky Bun blend for $32 a box. | | | | The coffee is sold at several Pittsburgh-area |
| | | | | stores as well as online at |
| “What’s nice is that all of the profit goes | | | | |
| right back to the community, so you don’t | | | | Cheryl Scampone, grocery manager for McGinnis |
| have to wonder how much of your purchase is | | | | Sisters Fine Foods, one of the Pittsburgh-area |
| actually aiding the efforts the nonprofit | | | | retailers of Ugandan Gold Coffee, said not only is |
| claims,” said Worth Helms, board president. | | | | the coffee for a great cause, but at $8 a pound, |
| “We use the money to pay the employees | | | | it’s a great value as well. |
| of the farm, run the farm and have the beans | | | | |
| roasted and stored once they are in the U.S. The | | | | “We’ve gotten all positive feedback,” |
| rest of the money is used to fund humanitarian | | | | Scampone said. “Consumers are just thrilled |
| efforts, such as the water wells and funding for a | | | | that the money is going back to help. |
| medical clinic.” | | | | |