www.originalbeans.com

Thank you for growing a tree!

Together we regenerate what we consume at the Virunga Park in Congo DR

Female farmers have participated in training programmes

seedlings were grown in local nurseries

Farmer families received additional skill enhancement trainings

tree nurseries are up and running

Your tree grows here

Area: Virunga National Park Eastern Congo
The forest: Rainforest of Virunga National Park the size of 1,08mio soccer fields
Rare wildlife: Mountain gorillas, leopards, okapis, giant pangolins, aarvarks, duikers, hornbills, turacos
Original bean: Virunga Amelonado
Your growers:

1478 female farmers

6347 families

TIMELINE

Updated: October 2023

Summer 2023

129,000 trees were planted in the final field.

Spring 2023

Along with IDAD’s support, we established a total of 14 new nurseries. These nurseries have raised 129,997 seedlings, which will be ready for planting in the final field later this year.

Winter 2022

A total of 1,299 women have received training from IDADS’ local field team. The training programs covered various areas, including sewing, gender equality, vegetable cultivation, beekeeping, and leadership.

Autumn 2022

We established a new community-managed nursery in Mambale, raising a total of 25,203 seedlings, including 10,160 timber trees and 15,043 cacao trees.

Summer 2022

We established a new community-managed nursery in Irango, producing a total of 23,000 seedlings, including 11,003 different timber tree species and 11,997 cacao seedlings.

Spring 2022

Our local team is receiving new sewing machines to grow their sewing courses for in rural areas of Virunga region

Visit the complete timeline of this project

ONE BAR : ONE TREE > GO SEE

Eastern DR Congo is a notoriously brutal and violent region in which women are treated as second-class citizens and have little to none economic influence. Since 2012, our Femmes de Virunga project has been working to help empower women financially and socially by working in cacao.

In addition to training programmes in organic and sustainable farming, agroforestry, conservation, and fermentation and drying techniques, the work also focuses on establishing cultural acceptance of women earning a living in cacao. This is done through literacy, enterprise and leadership programmes, and an interactive radio broadcast by and for women.

ALL THIS IS POSSIBLE THANKS TO YOUR PURCHASE!

“The Original Beans trainings teach us to be self-supporting, to take initiative, be it in the family or on the land. I am now contributing financially to the household and less dependent of my husband.”

Kavira Kahasa Léontine,
Cacao Grower

 

“I really like cacao. I have witnessed how it chased poverty from my home.”

Marceline,
Cacao Grower

PARTNERS IN VIRUNGA PARK

Femmes de Virunga 55%

Essence of roasted nuts and cappuccino inspire and empower as the Femmes de Virunga takes hold of you. The strong taste of a rare Amelonado cacao honours the strength of women farmers lifting up lives in Virunga Park.