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Muddy Boots
Rural youth can improve their lives – HRNS Tanzania has proven it
As the average age of coffee producers in Tanzania is around 55 years old, one of Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung’s (HRNS’s) priorities is to unleash the potential of youth within the coffee and agriculture sector. We use participatory training methods such as Youth Farmer...
Farming Family Profit Through Diversification
It is often assumed that for farmers to make a substantial profit, they need to have large expanses of land. However, this is not very realistic in rural Uganda where the ownership of land is usually through inheritance. As the average Ugandan family is made up of 5...
HRNS Celebrates International Youth Day!
As part of our International Youth Day 2022 commemoration, we are shining the light on two young farmers from our regions who are showing us what the future of thriving coffee communities looks like! We are honored to work with unique young farmers who are building...
Nace un Joven Emprendedor
Dentro de las densas montañas occidentales y los ríos profundos de Honduras se encuentra Ocotepeque, uno de los departamentos más grandes en la producción de café del país. El clima semitropical y las lluvias favorables de este territorio permiten el crecimiento de...
Bee-coming a Young Entrepreneur
Within the dense, western mountain ranges, and deep rivers of Honduras you will find Ocotepeque, one of the largest coffee producing departments of the country. The semi-tropical climate and favorable rainfall in this territory, allows for the growth of key crops such...
HRNS Tanzania Team Reach New Heights – Literally!
Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) Tanzania has been a tight-knit team from the very beginning. This may be ascribable to the great working environment and foundation that has been laid by our management over time. Besides the beautiful location and peaceful...
A Journey to HRNS’ and Peet’s Coffee’s New Project Region in North Sumatra, Indonesia
Early in the morning the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) team set out for their first field visit to the new project region in Northern Sumatra. We had arrived the night before and had not seen much except for the holes in the road and overhanging foliage as we...
Building a Circular Economy in Coffee Production: Reusing and Recycling Organic Waste in Brazil
Arlindo de Lelis and his son, José, are smallholder coffee farmers from the community of Fagundes. Located in the south-eastern state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, this region is surrounded by mountain trails, large areas of fertile land, and a great percentage of the...
“The Alarm Clock is Ringing!”: coffee&climate’s Webinar “Missed Wake-Up Call” Emphasizes Urgency to Act Against Climate Change
“Stop hitting snooze! The alarm clock is ringing!”, was the motto of the webinar “Missed Wake-Up Call” organized by the initiative for coffee&climate last week. Stefan Ruge, Program Manager Climate at HRNS, discussed together with climate scientist Dr. Peter Baker...
Youth Reporter Series: The Power of Ugandan Youth to Transform their Community
Fun packed, educative, transformational, and thrilling is the two-year journey we have all been a part of as we followed Jamidah, Thaddeus, Fatumah, and Razak, four amazing young women and men, whose lives have changed for the better after they joined the TeamUp...
How Coffee Farming Contributes to Reforestation in Ethiopia
The sun rises over the evergreen village of Hurumu in southwestern Ethiopia. Aster (47) and her family are working in their nursery amid thousands of seedlings. The breeding of new trees has become an important part of the family farm under the International Climate...
Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) and The Starbucks Foundation are Helping to Break Down Gender Barriers in Honduras
Maria Villeda is one of the 2.2 million women from rural Honduras. “Living in the outskirts of La Labor, Ocotepeque, has always been a challenge, especially for women my age and young people”, Maria explains in a quiet tone while standing near her family’s coffee...
A Cup of Learning: Youth Coffee Training Program in Honduras
The leading Italian coffee roaster, Lavazza, with the support of the non-profit foundation Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) and the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE), come together for the first edition of “A Cup of Learning” in Honduras. The coffee training program,...
Young Ugandan wins entrepreneurship award for her organic fertilizer
When Susan Nassolo (22) joined TeamUp three years ago, she didn't expect to become an award-winning entrepreneur through the program. Now she is on the pathway to change the organic fertilizer business in Uganda, with promises of a more sustainable future. Susan grew...
HRNS’ Work and Impact in Uganda
Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) supports smallholder families in Uganda to take a proactive role in shaping their lives in an informed and self-determined way. We are convinced that diversified production is the backbone of rural well-being. It reduces risks of...
“I see my achievements every day”
You have been following our Youth Reporter Shivan’s coverage of Fatumah and Razak who are Youth in Uganda for two years now and it is time to catch up on their lives since the last time Shivan spoke to them. "My life has changed. My capacity has changed. I am able to...
Transforming Mindsets to Achieve Sustainable Livelihoods
When development projects come to an end, final Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is done to prove the impact of the projects. However, many may argue that statistics do not fully quantify the extent to which lives are changed. They do not tell you how much it means...
Agriculture as Opportunity for Rural Youth in Uganda
Dorothy and Moses are among 90 other youth who proudly flashed their smiles and certificates in September 2021 after completing their one-year course in the Kaweri Youth Development Project (KYDP) which is implemented by Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS) in Mubende...
Agriculture as a Lucrative Alternative to Migration in Uganda: A Young Couple’s Story
For young people in rural Uganda, poverty and lack of employment opportunities are grand challenges that prevent them from securing their basic needs and often leads to migration. Although agriculture presents a lucrative livelihood opportunity, many young people have...
Building Something That Matters: Esperanza’s Story
For María Esperanza López and the rest of her family, coffee has always been part of their history. “I remember my father looking over our coffee plantations and watching my mother craft brooms from remnant farm material to sell at the local market.” María is a 40...
The Power of Youth in Coffee: An Inspiring Story from Huehuetenango
About the Author Michaela Tomchek has worked within the specialty coffee industry for over six years – spending time in the Coffee Belt, researching how to promote sustainable development amongst the communities responsible for coffee production. She currently works...