International Coffee Day

Coffee lovers unite!

Every year on International Coffee Day on 1 October we celebrate the special gift that Ethiopia gave to the world – coffee!

Coffee in Ethiopia

Legend has it that in the 9th century goat herders noticed that their goats were frolicking and full of energy after eating berries from the coffee plants. After giving it a try themselves the legendary ‘pick me up’ was born!

Today, coffee ceremonies form an integral part of social and cultural life in Ethiopia. An invite is an incredible mark of respect and friendship. Girls are taught from a very young age how to perform the intricate ceremony and share it with family, friends, neighbours and visitors.

The theme for International Coffee Day 2024 is Collaboration – fitting, as coffee brings people together from all over the world! It’s a day to appreciate coffee’s journey from the farm to our cups and recognise everyone involved in making it – from the farmers who grow the beans to the baristas who prepare our favourite drinks.

It’s also a day that encourages us to think about the hard work that goes into every cup of coffee we enjoy.

Meet a Ethiopian woman coffee farmer

Under the gentle sun, Dagamawit spends her days nurturing her coffee plants and harvesting the fruits of her labour. The coffee industry is the lifeblood of her community, which is nestled in the lush landscapes of the Sidama region of Ethiopia.

Dagamawit finds joy in planting the seeds half a metre deep in rich soil, feeding them with water and patiently waiting for them to grow. When they have ripened, Dagamawit gets great satisfaction from selling the coffee berries at the local market and takes pride in supporting her family with her income.

But Dagamawit’s life took a tragic turn during the home birth of her second child. After two excruciating days in obstructed labour, her pain turned to despair when she delivered a stillborn baby and sustained an obstetric fistula injury, leaving her leaking urine.

Dagamawit’s promising future was stolen and she withdrew from the community she cherished. Her husband, unable to understand her condition, distanced himself and left Dagamawit to face her challenges alone.

Working in the coffee fields with her injury was a daily struggle. The vibrant gatherings she had once enjoyed with her coffee community became reminders of her pain and solitude. Previously known for her warmth and laughter, Dagamawit felt she was ‘a ghost, haunting the edges of her own life’.

An obstetric fistula robs a woman of everything in her life – her health, dignity, social life and ability to earn an income. This horrific condition is often exacerbated by hard labour like working in the fields or on a coffee plantation like Dagamawit’s.

Fortunately, Dagamawit heard about fistula repair treatment at Hamlin’s Yirgalem Fistula Hospital from the Health Extension Worker in her kebele (neighbourhood). Hope flickered within her and, armed with a newfound determination, Dagamawit made her way to the hospital.

Returning to her coffee farm

Dagamawit was ready to reclaim her life. Following surgery, she felt a wave of relief. The burden she had carried for so long was finally lifted. She told us,

“As I healed, I began to dream again. I envisioned myself back in the fields, tending to my coffee plants. I longed to taste the sweetness of the ripe coffee berries.”

With her health restored, Dagamawit returned to her community. She began to plant seeds, her hands working the soil with renewed vigour. The benefits of her coffee cultivation soon became evident;  not only were her family’s expenses reduced, but her source of income also enabled them to buy nutritious food again.

Dagamawit’s story is one of hope and transformation. She is a survivor of obstetric fistula and a leader in her community, using her voice to inspire others to seek treatment.

The vibrant laughter that once echoed through her home returned, filling it with light and love. In the heart of Sidama, Dagamawit cultivates not just coffee but a sense of purpose and empowerment.

Join us on International Coffee Day 2024 to celebrate the power and strength of coffee farmers like Dagamawit by sharing a cup of coffee with your family and friends.

Drink up in the knowledge that, as the Ethiopians would say, “Buna dabo naw!” (“Coffee is our bread!”)

Get your own Ethiopian coffee at the Hamlin Shop!