Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Mavaus Farmer's Coffee is an organization which increases coffee production and employability of women smallholder farmers through training them to organically grow 100% high quality organic coffee, we then purchase their coffee directly at fair prices.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Mavaus Farmer's Coffee is an organization which increases coffee production and employability of women smallholder farmers through training them to organically grow 100% high quality organic coffee, we then purchase their coffee directly at fair prices meaning doubling the normal price of the middlemen in the market that we then process into a finished branded product. We then sell our finished branded product to the final consumers directly through our Mavaus cafes and outlets which has supported us have a competitive price due to elimination of middlemen in the block chain. We further support the farmers have an eco - sustainable source of fuel through using the coffee grounds and husks that are termed to be waste and we use them to make ground coffee charcoal briquettes. We believe waste is not waste until you waste it. This has reduced the increased cutting down of trees and created an additional income to the farmers since we have also supported them acquire this skill

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

 The world is estimated to have 1 billion poor people, 70% are women. According to World Bank's estimation more than 500 million people throughout the world are dependent on coffee for their livelihood and of that, 25 million are coffee farmers. Uganda's economy 75% depends on farming, coffee being the most grown and exported product engaging 60% of farmers. Unfortunately, coffee farmers typically live and work in substandard conditions, which are compounded by the fact that they receive only a small percentage of the actual price for which the coffee is sold to the consumer. Women, who represent majority of coffee farmers, face additional challenges as compared to others. Aside from the day-to-day struggles women coffee farmers face in order to maintain a respectable standard of living, they also struggle with the gender inequality prevalent throughout the growing regions, abuse, neglect and poverty, women are unable to gain economic, social and political power in their communities.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

We are looking at training 30 women in Mpigi Uganda to learn to use ground coffee and husk residues to create ground coffee charcoal briquettes and these use them as an eco-source of fuel and they also sell them off to earn a living. We are looking at empowering three women and we employ them in the organisation structure where one of the women is the lead tour guide for the coffee tours, the other two support in the production industry with the help of other team members. We are looking at creating 200 jobs in a year time frame that women can be in position to generate their own income.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

With a baseline survey I made in Mpigi district where I realized that farmers especially women coffee farmers were facing the challenge of low profit margins and other additional challenges like gender inequality, poverty, violence and abuse and yet they contribute 80% to the coffee sold in the market. I decided to see an opportunity in the challenges women coffee famers are experiencing and here I decided to empower women and change communities through coffee that I know very well how it is grown and how to add value to it . We are looking at creating 200 jobs in a year time frame that women can be in position to generate their own income.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-05-08

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

5

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

3

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

We are a team with specific specialized skills in the areas required for the successful implementation of our organisation. Joanitah Namubiru is a local farmer who has been in coffee farming for 5 years. She is to be in charge of Business Administration who will take the lead in the administration of the project and oversees all the project activities with Ivan Bossa who is also our Chief Executive Officer. Namutebi Rodah is a certified social worker and has worked with different women groups with implementation programmes of projects in rural areas of Uganda, she is to work as the programme's coordinator. Nakaliisa Mary attained a bachelors degree in Development studies from Makerere university. she has worked with a new project to reach out, further more she has worked on several projects with in the field of her studies. Sauda Nakakawa is to work as the Accounts manager in the project and supporting smooth running of funds. Luyonde George who is the community outreacher.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

l) Agriculture

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

We are looking at creating 200 jobs in a year time frame that women can be in position to generate their own income and this way we shall end poverty. We are looking at training 30 women in Mpigi Uganda to learn to use ground coffee and husk residues to create ground coffee charcoal briquettes and these use them as an eco-source of fuel and they as well sell them off to earn a living. We are also looking at empowering three women and we employe them in the organisation structure where one of the women is the lead tour guide for the coffee tours, the other two support in the production industry with the help of other team members. This will lead to end of poverty in all its forms in the country.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

We aim to stop hunger using coffee as a tool since farmers will be happy with the profits they gain in the business, this gives them access to good wellbeing including purchase of the other nutritious foods that they do not have on the farm. We are not only into intensive farming but we also advocate for subsistence farming where smallholder farmers can get something for themselves. Through our trainings we are to educate the smallholder farmers about the new modern farming practices that favours good nutrition and food security for their families. With the above practices we believe we shall combat hunger.

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

We believe wellbeing can be achieved when they is access to human basic needs such as fresh air, water, nutritious food among others. These can be achieved when there is a stable business in our homesteads. We have grown up and what has always led to luck of basic human needs is luck of a stable business which leads to violence and abuse in homes. Women being the gender that has been so affected yet they play the major role in achieving good health and well-being is the reason we are working with them to achieve the goal above.

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

Mavaus Farmer's Coffee is an organization that is started with most members who have been educated from money made out of coffee farming. With the foundation above we are looking at getting 10% shares from the profits sold from finished branded coffee and 10% from profits sold from briquettes sold go to purchase e-learning gadgets for the school going children putting the emphasis first to those from the families of those who cannot afford to purchase the gadgets.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

We are mainly and actively working with women smallholder farmers in rural communities. We also support families with the tools to grow organic coffee and advocate for zero violence, no to child and sex abuse through our trainings as well.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

We are looking at training 30 women in Mpigi Uganda to learn to use ground coffee and husk residues to create ground coffee charcoal briquettes and these use them as an eco-source of fuel and they as well sell them off to earn a living. The briquettes are a source of clean energy that we aim our communities to embrace. We are to train them to become trainers such that they can train others the skills they have learned.

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

We are looking at creating 200 jobs in a year time frame that women can be in position to generate their own income. We are looking at training 30 women in Mpigi Uganda to learn to use ground coffee and husk residues to create ground coffee charcoal briquettes and these use them as an eco-source of fuel and they as well sell them off to earn a living. We are also looking at empowering three women and we employe them in the organisation structure where one of the women is the lead tour guide for the coffee tours, the other two support in the production industry with the help of other team members.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

We are more into innovation by introducing new innovations such as the new blockchain technology into our coffee company.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

5

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

We are looking at people have comfortable stays at their homes since they can earn a living through the farming that they engage in mostly and the creation of other jobs such as making charcoal briquettes.

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

We are advocating for ore Ugandans to take coffee and to increase on the production of organic coffee and faze away the growing of coffee using chemicals. We plan campaigns to advocate for coffee consumption.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

By converting waste into a commercial, profitable byproduct, these briquettes are a more environmentally-friendly and economical alternative to firewood and charcoal that lead to deforestation and carbon-dioxide emissions in the community which are distributed widely within Ugandan communities.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

5

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

We are using coffee grounds and husks residues which could have been a waste to many farmers to make coffee ground charcoal briquettes that they use as a source of fuel and this has helped reduce the cutting down of trees and created an eco and sustainable source of fuel from our own coffee. This is a skill that has been passed onto the farmers and this has also helped them to earn an additional income when they sell their briquettes of which each kilogramme costs 2000 Ugandan shillings and of which this price is very competitive compared to the normal charcoal which takes a very short time when lighting.

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

We are training women smallholder coffee farmers with not only economic skills but also personal develpment skills that promote peace and staying in a society that favours development of organizations like ours.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

We are in partnership with Makerere Agricultural Research institute of Kabanyoro that has helps us to have reduced cost in our production process, high quality production and branding levels.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.08 Justification

Mavaus Farmer's Coffee produces a product coffee that has been in place in many years, although there has not been organisation training women smallholder coffee farmers to grow organic coffee and work with the women to further market the coffee and increase on the profits as well as train them to use the waste to make briquettes. We are also to have the children who work with their parents to get quality education from the coffee products. With that we are different from the existing organizations.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

We are to use coffee grounds and husks residues which could have been a waste to many farmers to make coffee ground charcoal briquettes that they use as a source of fuel and this helps reduce the cutting down of trees and creat an eco and sustainable source of fuel from our own coffee. This is a skill that we pass onto the farmers and this also helps them to earn an additional income when they sell their briquettes of which each kilogramme costs 2000 Ugandan shillings and of which this price is very competitive compared to the normal charcoal which takes a very short time when lighting. Our organization increases coffee production and employability of women smallholder farmers through training them to organically grow 100% high quality organic coffee compared to our competitors, we purchase the coffee directly from them at fair prices meaning doubling the normal price of the middlemen in the market and we process it into a finished branded product.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

We are carrying out trainings of women smallholder coffee farmers learn to grow organic coffee. We are also training them on how to produce eco-friendly charcoal briquettes. We are also engaging them on how to produce finished branded coffee as well as marketing it to consumers. We are to start to train them with leadership skills to have them engage in political affairs.