We produce!

It is August and almost two years after Konfiansa saw the light of day, we have reached a major milestone: We produce coffee. Right now we are in the high season of coffee production in East Timor.

The farmers in CCALMA, Konfiansa's new cooperative, have spent the last few weeks building drying beds and working on the cooperative's newly purchased depulping machine (a machine that removes the pulp). Together we will now produce washed specialty coffee, sell it in Norway and use the profits to invest in the local community. Cult? Cult. 

In July, Bjørge was in East Timor, working closely with both volunteers in Konfiansa and farmers in CCALMA. Here is a pictorial summary of the work.

Research methodology, coffee processes, Konfiansa's value chain and social projects were discussed over several workshops at the university's 'peace centre'.

Moises, a volunteer and heavily involved in Konfiansa, comes from the village of Parami in Atsabe, at around 1,600 meters above sea level. His entire family are coffee farmers. They wanted to talk to Konfiansa for a potential future collaboration.

Together with Bjørge and Julie, Moises (right) and Abril (cooperative leader in CCALMA, left) went to Atsabe, where we visited Raw Materials' wet mills to learn more about the production of specialty coffee.

We also visited other producers and coffee connoisseurs. One thing we took time to understand was how best to build drying beds.

The farmers we work with live in the nearby villages of Hauraikik and Aitutu in the Maubisse area.

Konfiansa + CCALMA.

CCALMA is a cooperative based on a collaboration with Konfiansa. Together we will produce high-quality coffee and develop the local community.

From left: Noviana (volunteer), Jape (volunteer), Moises (volunteer), Bjørge (volunteer), John, Antonio, José, Domingos, Evaristo, Julio (with cap), Antonio da Silva and Abril. Front: Olandina