Kickstart Coffee: From Beans to Dreams
Kickstart Coffee isn’t just another blah-boring corporate coffee company with all the right ethical labels on their bags. Nope. They’re getting right in there, and making a real difference.
[Sassy_Social_Share]Ever since Kickstart Coffee sold their first bag of coffee in September 2020, they’ve never looked back. They’re a non-profit company who support children and teachers in Uganda, by importing coffee from Mount Elgon, and roasting them in Cambridge.
How was Kickstart Coffee born?
“We have personally been supporting The Early Learning School in Entebbe, Uganda for 16 years and last year we thought, what if we could bring kids, care and coffee together. One year on Kickstart Coffee was born.” The rest, as they say, is history.
How are the profits spent?
The profits go directly to the Early Learning School in Uganda. The Early Learning School is an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) that looks after orphaned and disadvantaged children from all over the country. The children live at, and attend the school, and when they reach secondary age they remain living there, but get their further education at a local secondary school.
Here’s a few ways the money has been used:
- To provide food and accommodation, and to ensure the children get three meals a day, and sleep under mosquito nets
- It pays the school fees for the children at the secondary school
- To contribute to the teachers salaries at the Early Learning School
- To pay for medical costs that the children incur, for example a young pupil’s heart operation
7 year old Stewart had a successful heart operation on 14th May at Mulago Heart Institute and is now able to breathe freely and run around with his friends without getting tired. He’s lived at the Early Learning School in Entebbe since he was one and sees the school as his home.
Now that’s a real impact!
So, tell us about the coffee!
Hannah, the founder of Kickstart Coffee, says: “Elgon Roast is a special coffee which has been really popular. We have a personal connection with the farmers which ensures the farmers are paid well for their coffee beans. Elgon is a specialty coffee and 100% Arabica giving it the smooth taste. Within the last shipment of green beans the coffee farmers added 60kg of honey processed green beans for us to try. Honey processed is a method where coffee cherries are picked and sorted, have their skins and pulps removed as normal but are then dried without washing off the sticky-sweet outer layer of the fruit. The coffee has a natural sweetness and is popular with people who’d usually add sugar.”
The reward from running Kickstart Coffee?
“Having an impact on the lives of children and teachers in Uganda so they can have the basics, and an education to give them the best chance of realising their dreams. There are children that we met in 2002 who are now doctors, nurses, teachers because they have been able to go to school and university. Setting up Kickstart Coffee gives the children a chance in life which they may not have had. All the hard work is worth it when you see the children smiling, happy and healthy. We are so privileged to work with people like Agnes who has a passion for supporting these children and teachers. With a little help from coffee we can continue to provide the necessary help and support.”
We love it, Hannah, and hats off to you for making this happen.
Check out this video, and see the passion that these kids have for the coffee:
About CoffeeCode
This article was written by Gregg Romano who is the founder of CoffeeCode, the UK’s fastest growing and most exciting coffee blog. CoffeeCode has a focus on great coffee, inspirational design and sustainability.
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