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Recovery After Conflict
In 2005, the Dukundekawa coffee cooperative, also known as Musasa, became Root Capital's first client in Africa. Since its founding, Musasa has grown from 300 to more than 1,800 members—among them many women who were made widows by the 1994 genocide. In this video, Musasa cooperative members recall the genocide and describe how the cooperative helped them rebuild their community. They also explain the importance of Root Capital financing to Musasa.
Based on Musasa's contracts with leading specialty coffee buyers, Root Capital loans the cooperative money to purchase raw beans from its members. When the processed beans ship and buyers send their payment, a portion of the proceeds pays off the Root Capital loan. Since 2005, Root Capital has provided Musasa with more than one million dollars in financing.