Kariani Factory - Mwirua Coop - Lamu Youth in Coffee Project

Kariaini wet mill (or factory) was established in 1954 and is one of eight factories operated by Mwirua Farmer Co-operative Society. The factory - managed by John Kinyua - is situated at 1,600masl and serves smallholder farmers in the local villages.

The farmers typically have a small amount of land and cultivate the varieties of SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian.

The factory produces fully washed coffee with water from the Rundu River. As part of their membership, the co-operative provides the farmers with agronomic training, credit & financial services, and inputs such as fertilizer to increase yield and plant health.

Vava Coffee dedicates 10% of the revenue from all coffee sales to funding the Lamu Youth in Coffee Project. This initiative is organised by Gente del Futuro (People of the Future), a collective created by Vava and made up of passionate people working towards empowering coffee communities, especially young women and girls.

Class of 2022

The goal is to transform communities by providing economic opportunities. These come through coffee trade, education and capacity building. And all this happens at the Lamu Coffee School.

Why Lamu?

Lamu is an island on the coast of Kenya. It is heavily dependent on tourism for economic sustainability as well as on informal jobs in fishing and farming.

The level of unemployment is high: only 21% of the population is in formal employment! Lamu also has some of the lowest literacy levels in the country.

The lack of opportunity drives Lamu’s youth to crime and drugs. It’s not a cliché. It’s reality.

“We believe this initiative can provide more gainful employment and various opportunities to young people, generating economic stability for themselves and their families,” says Vava.

“Our first cohort of students recently successfully completed the foundation courses in Brewing and Barista offered by the Specialty Coffee Association. We are looking towards this cohort doing their intermediate courses this November as they continue on their path towards a professional coffee career.”