Mbilima Station

Established in 2005 as our second washing station, Mbilima was funded entirely from profits generated by our first station. It was built to ease the burden on local farmers who previously faced long, difficult journeys to deliver their harvest to Ruli, journeys that often compromised cherry quality before processing. Located in Akanduga Village, Mbilima Cell, Coko Sector, Gakenke District, the station sits at approximately 2,020 masl, placing it among the highest coffee washing stations in Rwanda. Though modest in size, it serves 896 farmers, most of them small-scale growers from the surrounding hills. Since 2015, the farms supplying Mbilima have been dedicated exclusively to organic production. The mineral-rich soils and lush microclimate create ideal conditions for specialty coffee, with the dominant variety being Arabica Bourbon. Spread across 72 hectares and situated between 2,000 and 2,220 masl, these farms are both Fair Trade and organic certified. Harvest runs from March to October, yielding over seven containers of exportable green coffee each year.