Advancing Breast Cancer Prevention in Rwanda: Second Phase of our Project
At the end of December 2024, our team traveled to Rwanda to carry out the second phase of the breast cancer prevention project launched in 2022 together with our local partner, Baho Coffee.
This project aims to raise awareness and educate coffee-growing communities about the importance of early detection and breast self-examination.
Informative talks and explanatory material in local language
The main objective of this visit was to expand the reach of informative talks at Washed stations that were not visited during the 2023 activities. We seek to reach more people, both women and men, providing them with key tools to recognize symptoms of the disease and learn how to perform a correct breast self-examination.
During this phase of the project, along with the prevention education sessions, we distributed information booklets, which included a series of detailed graphics on breast self-examination guidelines and processes. This material was designed and translated into the native Rwandan language to facilitate understanding of the process and to enable people to perform self-examination correctly.
Impact of the talks in the coffee growing communities
The first day of the educational day was held in a public space provided for the occasion, where around 150 workers from the Karambi and Muganza Washing stations participated, most of them being women coffee pickers. Dr. Naasson Nduwamungu led the talks, interacting closely with the public and resolving doubts. Although at the beginning there was disbelief among the attendees, as the explanations progressed there was an evolution in understanding and hope.
The second day of talks was held at the Washing station in Humure, where about 250 people attended. Dr. Nduwamungu repeated his interactive approach, generating a space of trust where attendees shared experiences and resolved doubts. This day was key to strengthening the educational impact and fostering a supportive community environment.
Commitment to the wellbeing of coffee growing communities
At Mare Terra Coffee, we are committed to initiatives that contribute to the well-being of coffee-growing communities. From the beginning, we shared with Emmanuel, the owner of Baho Coffee, a common vision: to establish responsible relationships and raise awareness about health issues such as breast cancer.
This progress in raising awareness among the rural population is a significant step towards improving health in these communities. Knowing that more people now have access to this information is a source of pride for us, and the hope that this knowledge can save lives is a driving force for everyone involved in the project. But this is only the beginning of a process that, although slow, is moving steadily and solidly forward, generating a real change in the mentality and well-being of the communities.
For every kilo of Coffee from RWANDA that we sell, we donate 0.10 cents to this project. These funds are used to organize more talks and trainings, mainly aimed at women Coffee Producers. The aim is for these women to share the knowledge acquired with their families and communities, thus multiplying the impact of the project and creating a network of education and support.
This is a good example of how companies can get involved in a real way in important issues, contributing to people’s well-being and bringing positive changes to rural communities. We strongly believe that, over time, this project will not only make a big difference in the fight against breast cancer in Rwanda, but can also inspire other social initiatives in different parts of the world.
