Cafédirect's relationship with Mabale

Our relationship with Mabale started back in 2000 and since then, through the Producer Partnership Programme, we have provided training and support on a number of issues, ranging from technical ones such as planting nurseries to topics like information management and database construction.

As part of the business training provided by the PPP, Edward Kaddu from Mabale travelled to the Tea Research Institute of Tanzania to spend 10 days with their Technology Transfer Unit and gain some valuable experience which he could then share with other members of Mabale. Chairman Eulogio Rusoke comments on the result of this training and ongoing support:

“Farmers' participation in the day to day field operations of the factory has greatly improved and has led to the quality of green leaf and made tea steadily improving.”

Eulogio Rusoke is a well known figure in and around Fort Portal (near Mabale tea growers), with a huge amount of experience in the tea industry both from his own farm and from his time working with tea companies. He has been on the board since 1999 and took over as the chairman in 2005. Despite his vast experience, he has seen a lot of positive changes brought about by the relationship with Cafédirect (the only Fairtrade buyer) and comments, “Through Cafédirect there have been interactions with other producers, this has improved my desire and shown the need to work with others in finding solutions to common problems.”

The changes that have taken place have also come on a personal level for Eulogio. At a local level he has become more aware of himself as part of the surrounding community and in a wider context Eulogio has been exposed to meeting a large number of producers, not just tea. Sharing knowledge and experiences is, in Eulogio’s opinion, vital to empowering smallholder organisations and he has learned a lot from Cafédirect workshops, the Cafédirect Producer’s Trust and the Africa Fairtrade Network.

Eulogio is committed to ensuring Mable runs as efficiently as possible and the tea growers benefit as much as possible from being a member of Mabale. To this end he works closely with the PPP on areas such as training provision.

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