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Kahawa Shamba means ‘Coffee Farm’ in Swahili. Set in the beautiful foothills of Kilimanjaro, on a ridge overlooking the Weruweru Gorge, Kahawa Shamba is a community-based project implemented to bring in extra income via tourism to the small-scale coffee farmers in the area. Tribes has been instrumental in developing the project along with partners Cafédirect, the charity Twin and the British government department DFID (Dept for International Development).
Kahawa Shamba is hosted by local families who look after the guests, cook the food and make sure that a stay there is very comfortable. Accommodation is of a basic yet good standard in chalets based on the traditional architecture of the local Chagga tribe, each thatched with banana leaves. All have twin wrought iron beds with linen, and the ensuite bathrooms have western style showers and toilets. This gives an authentic experience of what life is like for the farmers in the region while retaining some of the comforts of home. Recreating these huts, albeit with appropriate modifications, has renewed an interest in traditions and architecture of the region that was fast declining in favour of breeze-blocks and tin roofs.
The surrounding area is lush and fertile, with abundant valleys and gorges, and on a clear day there is an amazing view of Kilimanjaro’s summit - Kibo peak. It is ideal country for exploring on foot, and a variety of guided walks are available, varying in duration from 1 hour up to 2 days. These include trips along the river valley, cultural tours (including traditional huts and a blacksmith) and visits to nearby caves once used by the Chagga to shelter from Maasai raiders. An alternative to walking is to explore the area on horseback, on rides of either half a day or a full day. Rather unexpectedly, the river also offers some trout fishing as trout were introduced to these waters back in colonial times. Guests can visit coffee farmers in their homesteads to learn and practice coffee production and processing.
Fair Trade / Responsible Travel
Kahawa Shamba is now owned by the local people, brings a salary to the host families, and brings funds to help community development projects. The project aims to provide a sustainable tourism venture which brings additional income and security to the local coffee producers living on the slopes of Kilimanjaro. Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union who coordinates coffee farmers activities owns 50% of the project while Rural Cooperative Societies (Coffee producers –who are registered members to the Union and selling their coffee to KNCU) owns 50% of the venture.
There is one Project Manager who manages and coordinates all project activities. He is employed by KNCU and paid a salary.
There are 3 families (Host Families) who get direct income from the tourists. The 3 cooks from the families are paid directly when they attend to visitors. There is 1 local tour guide who also gets paid for his services to the tourists. Communities benefit indirectly from the project from the funds set aside for community-based activities such as; school building, coffee seedling nurseries. Some organised groups and individuals directly get payments through guiding and by selling food staff to the project. The local people also provide crafts and other items to the tourists. Families and the community are informed during meetings about management of waste resulting from tourism. Environmental protection education is given to community whenever there is a meeting.
Families receive 28% of the collection from Kahawa Shamba. Local communities get 50% of the income set aside for community development activities.