Jackie Smalldridge, Auckland obstetrician and gynaecologist who introduced us to the Bukonzo Joint Coffee Cooperative, and her team have just returned from another trip to Uganda. In the short 13 days they were there they managed to see 123 patients and perform 93 operations at the hospital in Kagando.
Some of the patients travel from as far as Rwanda when the word is spread that Jackie’s team is coming. They operate in 30 degree heat in scrubs and a waterproof apron with a headlight, mask and 2 pairs of gloves - no doubt they feel like they’ve run a marathon by the end of each day.
Jackie Smalldridge (in black on left) and her team with just some of the patients they treated whilst in Kagando (left image).
A fistula operation costs approx $350 which covers the transport, care and food for the patient and the operation itself. The team has also started training the local doctors to be able to preform the procedure themselves in the future. See Judith Goh in one of the training sessions above (right image).
Jackie did manage to steal an afternoon to herself (and the hospital car) to drive the half an hour dirt road to the Bukonzo Joint Coffee Cooperative offices and onsite roastery (left image).
The awards table at the Bukonzo Joint Cooperative. Featuring an award for Best Supportive Community Based Organisation and a Sustainability Award from the Sustainability Council of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (right image).
Some of the coffee drying beds on site (right image).
A lot of the signage and instructions at Bukonzo Joint Cooperative’s office is pictorial as many of the farmers are illiterate.
Inside the Bukonzo Joint roastery where they roast their green beans for the local market. Their roaster and equipment was donated from Japan (left image).
Jackie carried a few boxes of Bukonzo Joint coffee roasted by us to deliver to their offices (right image). She noted that they were so impressed and surprised to see their national bird on the box that they didn’t want to open it! And she’s still not sure if they did.
Jackie, Judith and their team of doctors are already preparing for their next trip to Kagando for early next year.
Thank you to everyone who has bought a box of our Bukonzo Joint Single Origin. By drinking your morning coffee you have supported this trip.
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