Kinini Village Washed 2022

“Kinini” means “this big thing right here,” a fitting name for a project that blends community development with specialty coffee, with a pointed emphasis on empowering women. The initiative was launched in 2014 by Jacquie Turner and Malcolm Clear, who had previously established schools, pharmacies, and microfinance institutions in rural Rwanda. Coffee became their way to build long-term, self-sustaining impact.

Kinini’s structure is unusual: rather than buying cherry from established farms, the group leased unused parcels, distributed seedlings, and offered training to local farmers on how to cultivate quality coffee. In return, members deliver their harvests to the Kinini washing station, ensuring centralized processing and market access. This model was made possible with support from the Rwandan Development Bank and years of persistence in lobbying, organizing, and building trust.

Today, Kinini unites hundreds of smallholder farmers across the hills north of Kigali—85% of them women—under a system that combines technical training, infrastructure, and reinvestment of premiums into education, healthcare, and gender equity. Since its first harvest in 2017, Kinini has established itself as one of Rwanda’s most forward-looking producer groups, demonstrating how cooperative organization and quality-driven practices can reshape local economies.