{"id":22664,"date":"2026-06-15T10:43:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T09:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/?p=22664"},"modified":"2026-06-15T10:59:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T09:59:53","slug":"women-in-coffee-the-hands-behind-every-harvest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/blog\/women-in-coffee-the-hands-behind-every-harvest\/","title":{"rendered":"Women in Coffee: The Hands Behind Every Harvest"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"22664\" class=\"elementor elementor-22664\" wpc-filter-elementor-widget=\"1\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d25fc4a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d25fc4a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b508fe5\" data-id=\"b508fe5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59140f7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"59140f7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The Hands Behind Quality<\/strong><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On sun-drenched patios and in bustling processing stations, women sort, inspect, and protect each precious bean with remarkable care. Their hands move with practiced skill, turning coffee cherries to ensure even drying.<\/span><\/p><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Their eyes catch the smallest imperfections, ensuring that only the finest beans continue on their journey. This unseen precision gives each cup its character, aroma, and story, and remains an important part of Rutasoka&#8217;s commitment to quality. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8cab019 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8cab019\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0bfbb78 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0bfbb78\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>More Than Coffee<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond the processing station, these women balance their work in coffee with caring for their families, managing households, and contributing to community life. Their experience, leadership, and commitment shape both the coffee they produce and the communities they are part of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ce0977 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5ce0977\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"571\" src=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-1024x731.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-22668\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-2048x1463.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9836-600x429.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85e69d9 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"85e69d9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2107e69 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"2107e69\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Womens-Day-4-1.mp4\" title=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d708266 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d708266\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6ea116b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6ea116b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Honouring the People Behind the Process<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this year, as part of International Women&#8217;s Day, Rutasoka took the opportunity to celebrate the women whose work contributes to the quality of the coffee we source. In keeping with our philosophy of &#8221;Trade Not Aid&#8221;, the gesture reflected appreciation for their contribution to coffee production and the communities they are part of.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As part of the celebration, the women received a Kitenge, a colourful printed fabric commonly worn across East and Central Africa. Beyond its practical use in everyday life, the fabric carries cultural significance and is often associated with identity, pride, and belonging.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within the coffee communities we work with, the Kitenge is also worn during sorting activities, serving as both a practical work cloth and a symbol of shared purpose. For many of the women who wear it, it reflects their connection to the work they do and the role they play within the coffee journey.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c250a56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"c250a56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;hosted&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-hosted-video elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<video class=\"elementor-video\" src=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Womens-Day-4-1.mp4\" controls=\"\" preload=\"metadata\" controlslist=\"nodownload\"><\/video>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-581e3fa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"581e3fa\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d896baa\" data-id=\"d896baa\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f46eec9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f46eec9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>In Their Own Words<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As part of our ongoing commitment to recognising the people behind our coffee, we invited women across the Rutasoka value chain to share their experiences and reflections on their work, their communities, and the meaning of the Kitenge in their daily lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their responses reveal a strong sense of unity, pride, and purpose.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cd0c606 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"cd0c606\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9558dd3\" data-id=\"9558dd3\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-935e34f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"935e34f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"571\" src=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-1024x731.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-22669\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-2048x1463.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1C1A9993-600x429.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-29a5bb2\" data-id=\"29a5bb2\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c72fa91 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c72fa91\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe Kitenge helps us in many ways. It keeps us clean and comfortable while we work. Here, we cannot come to work without wearing a Kitenge; it is part of our rules and our daily work. You cannot enter this compound without one. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift. I will proudly wear this new one together with the one I already have. May God bless you, and please come visit us again soon.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c8bd98e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c8bd98e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-704910a\" data-id=\"704910a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e43a1b7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e43a1b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/1C1A0008-scaled-rozixs7sht24mi1zmhqp1sspz0jthoj519r48cvkzk.jpg\" title=\"1C1A0008\" alt=\"1C1A0008\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4cbe425\" data-id=\"4cbe425\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5c80da2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5c80da2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI started sorting coffee in 1999. This work has helped me raise my children by supporting school fees, clothing, and health insurance.<\/span><\/em><\/p><p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For that reason, I deeply appreciate the people who chose to involve us in the coffee process. I also thank you for this meaningful recognition through the Kitenge. <\/span><\/em><\/p><p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We wear it over our shoulders when we enter the compound; it represents our identity in this work.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5bdce98 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5bdce98\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-82762a7\" data-id=\"82762a7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e3d0ec9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e3d0ec9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Every Harvest Has a Story<\/strong><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The stories shared by these women offer a glimpse into the experience behind every lot of coffee. They speak of dedication to their work, commitment to their families, and a deep connection to the communities where coffee is grown. Their voices remind us that every harvest carries a human story long before it reaches a cup.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We are grateful to our customers who continue to choose coffee that is rooted in relationships, transparency, and shared value. Your support makes it possible for us to work alongside coffee-growing communities and celebrate the people whose contribution is present in every harvest. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-79610ed elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"79610ed\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0bdca64\" data-id=\"0bdca64\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Across the Rutasoka value chain, women bring skill, precision, and dedication to every stage of coffee production. Their stories offer a closer look at the people behind the harvest and the traditions that connect coffee, community, and culture.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2647,"featured_media":22674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137,182],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2647"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22664"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22675,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22664\/revisions\/22675"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rutasoka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}