RWANDA – British first lady visits Coffee Centre

KIGALI – British first lady, Mrs Cherie Booth Blair visited on Friday the renowned Maraba Coffee Centre in Huye District. Mrs Blair flew from Kigali by helicopter. After touching down at Butare Airstrip, where she was received by provincial executive and military officials, Cherie was then driven to Maraba Coffee Centre, where she toured the coffee tele-centre and laboratory.
At the coffee laboratory, she was shown how the quality of Maraba coffee was achieved and how better quality and higher incomes are improving the standards of living of coffee farmers in area.
After tasting the coffee and smelling its aroma, Cherie promised to promote the product.
In a message she wrote in a visitors’ book, Cherie said: “Thank you for being so welcoming. I will not forget you and I know the people in UK will love your coffee and not forget you either.” Claire Kampeta, one of those who gave explanations about the product to the visitor, said: “I told her how I tasted the coffee grains, the smell from their flowers which is comparable to that of honey, and explained to her how our coffee is good. I’m happy that she has visited us; she is an important visitor; I’m very happy to see her.”
The spouse of the UK Prime Minister was received by the Governor of Southern Province, Eraste Kabera, Mayor of Huye District Aimable Twagiramutara, the Commandant of RDF’s 301 Brigade Brigadier General Mubarakh Muganga and the District Police Commander, Superintendent Jacques Rwagati. Also present were officials from the Sustaining Partnerships to enhance Rural Enterprise and Agribusiness Development (Spread), a project which helps partnership between Maraba coffee farmers and Western coffee dealers.