An initiative to restore Kenya’s
position as a world leader in coffee while driving real social impact for
farmers and communities has been launched.
Kenya is currently ranked 19th globally.
It once stood proudly as a top coffee producer competing with world known coffee
producing countries.
The initiative is aimed at removing
"middlemen" or intermediaries from the supply chain in the coffee
industry to allow farmers to connect directly with the buyers to reduce costs
and time as Dr Olinga Taeed, the Executive
Chairman at Bean You says.
“We will connect drinkers across the
world directly with the producers here in Kenya which will help increase
efficiency while giving farmers greater return that they have previously lost
to middlemen,” he said.
The movement will also do value addition increasing the value of the coffee hence farmers will get greater financial margins by selling more in the international market competing with world known coffee from Brazil and Vietnam.
The additional money generated by
farmers is poised to be reinvested in education and health sector while helping
farmers to have access to modern farming technology and sustainable
livelihoods.
The programme will be done by “Bean You” which
simply means ‘Being You’, which is a global social impact movement based in
London with deep roots in Kenya and will be funded through
the independent not-for-profit Asili Foundation which is headquartered in
Nairobi
Dr Anne Wafula Strike, one of the
newly appointed ambassadors one of the said that their mission is to return
Kenya to the top ranks of coffee producers while creating real, lasting
benefits for farming communities.
She said, “Bean
You is not just about coffee – it is about people, purpose, and impact.
Together, we are creating a community where values inspire action and where
every cup of coffee can change lives.”
Global ambassadors have been appointed by ‘Bean
You’ to drive the transformation they hope to achieve in making Kenya’s coffee the
most sought-after coffee in the world.
They include Dr Wafula, Harlow-based
British/Kenyan Paralympic wheelchair racer and inspirational advocate for
inclusion, Grace Neema Ramtu, current Miss World Kenya, a passionate voice for
Kenyan culture and youth empowerment, Kevin Mills, Ghanaian UK rapper, Tiffany
Huang, representing fresh energy and artistic authenticity, Chandler Guo,
Chinese-born US-based tech entrepreneur, leveraging technology for social
good.
