Coffee is the universal morning ritual for many, particularly those in corporate settings. At WeWork locations worldwide, professionals often rush in for their daily dose of caffeine, with little thought as to where the coffee originates. That is where the Rise Up Blend comes in, helping facilitate ethical coffee sourcing. In collaboration with WeWork U.K., Volcano Coffee Works infuses purpose into the coffee-drinking experience, with an ethos that extends far beyond a morning caffeine hit. The Rise Up Blend transforms global coffee sourcing into a vehicle for poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa, where the beans are sourced directly from Rebuild Women’s Hope, a female-led cooperative on Idjwi Island in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Ethical Coffee Sourcing: Economic Challenges for Women in the DRC

Currently, women in the DRC face numerous challenges, especially those in marginalized groups. Despite the land’s vast natural wealth and arable land, the majority of the population remains in financial hardship. According to data from the World Bank, the national poverty rate remains high, with 81.1% of the population living on less than $3 a day in 2025.

While the nation’s broader macroeconomic growth is driven by its industrial mining sectors, these industries offer limited job creation for ordinary citizens, particularly women. Driven by decades of post-civil war violence, the DRC ranks as one of the most dangerous nations on earth for women. It is also one of the worst coffee-sourcing regions for gender equality.

On Idjwi Island, isolated within Lake Kivu, these challenges are magnified. Historically, women coffee farmers in this region faced exploitation by smuggling cartels, frequently risking their lives to transport coffee cherries across the lake to neighboring countries for a fraction of the crop’s true value. However, this lack of marketplace protection directly contributed to systemic poverty on the island.

Structural gender divides push women out of labor channels and cut off their access to essential resources, financial services and a steady income. For rural women managing agricultural work, the lack of secure financial networks or fair-market infrastructure often keeps them in vulnerable employment cycles. This disparity makes localized initiatives targeting the agricultural market vital for long-term equity.

Read the full article about ethical coffee sourcing by Rebecca Cameron at The Borgen Project.