Blue Bottle Kula

MiiR and Blue Bottle have partnered with Kula, a nonprofit eradicating poverty through the development of women entrepreneurs in Rwanda's coffee communities. Kula runs a 15-month business fellowship that provides industry training, business investment, and life and leadership skills, empowering their fellows to build profitable businesses, raise healthy families, and send their children to school.

Kula's Approach

Step 1: Relationship Building

Kula conducts extensive baseline assessments with its cooperatives and spends relational time with the fellows and their families to know them both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Step 2: Industry Training

Kula provides consistent and in-depth industry training, support, and follow-up to each fellow in their specific industry, be it coffee farming, artisan goods and/or agribusiness.

Step 3: Life and Leadership Skills

Kula conducts intensive training and one-on-one mentorship to our fellows and their families in areas of household visioning, financial planning, business leadership and family health and nutrition.

Step 3: Life and Leadership Skills

Kula conducts intensive training and one-on-one mentorship to our fellows and their families in areas of household visioning, financial planning, business leadership and family health and nutrition.

Step 4: Business Investment

Kula conducts intensive training and one-on-one mentorship to our fellows and their families in areas of household visioning, financial planning, business leadership and family health and nutrition.

Step 5: Impact Measurement

Kula measures qualitative and quantitative data to monitor and evaluate the impact of their work. They then determine the best way to amend the fellowship to support each person toward empowerment.

Empower a woman, empower an entire family.

Kula employs Household Vision and Action Plan Training, Self-Esteem Training, and Gender Equity Training in support of each fellow's belief in their individual agency, potential, and unique dreams for their future. Alongside mentors, women craft their visions and action plans as one of the first activities in Kula's Fellowship Program. These visions help illuminate goals and allow fellows to practice good decision marking, effective communication, and personal advocacy and initiative.