Francine Mukeshimana

Francine Mukeshimana is 40 year old widow left with 5 children to look after when her husband died in 2000 of HIV/AIDS.

When she got married 23 years ago, she and her husband planted 400 trees of coffee. Two years ago, after realizing how effectively coffee generated income for her family, she decided to plant another 200 for a total of 600 coffee trees. Every year she produces 150 kgs of coffee cherries which she and her eldest son carry on their heads to the washing station. The walk is about 5 kms. Sometimes by the time they arrive at the washing station, it is already dark and her coffee cherries are not treated until the next day which reduces her coffee quality hence a reduced profit margin.

Need of a cargo bike/coffee bike:

Francine would like to buy a cargo/coffee bike for her son to transport bananas to far markets in the area. She plans to start a small shop in her village and they could use the bicycle to transport shop items from Butare to her village which is about 20 kms. The son would use the bicycle as a taxi and would generate about USD $15 per day which would be an added income for the family. It would also transport their coffee to the washing station before it gets bad.