Francois’ Story
Munyemana Francois is a dedicated coffee farmer in Huro. Starting at 22 years old with 140 trees, coffee became a means for providing for himself and his wife, and they worked hard in order to build a life together, eventually hoping to return to school. However, at 27 years old, a childhood injury to the back of his hand re-opened, provoking an emergency trip to the hospital. While attempting to treat the wound, the doctors discovered cancer, and Francois’ arm was amputated to prevent it from spreading.
This loss immediately put the family in a precarious situation. “Before they were progressing so much,” Nimie tells us, “because his wife was growing other crops and he was so focus on coffee but now [they are] in a backward mode.” The profits made from coffee would go toward the cost of hiring help, not leaving enough behind. It is a daily struggle for him, too easy to feel “so bad and unwanted.”
The Value of Living in Community
We met Francois at a meeting with the farmers of the Huro community. A few members had noticed his need, and one of them asked what Land of a Thousand Hills could do for him. Before Jonathan (our founder and C.E.O) could respond, another man spoke up – saying that instead of asking for help, if they came together as a community then many hands could solve these problems.
Francois himself was ushered into the meeting, and he shared his story, ending with three specific needs: health insurance, help during harvest, and mulch for his plants. After a silence, our driver held out some money and said, “I will pay for the health insurance.” Spurred into action, other farmers began volunteering willing hands and ready help, until a plan to help Francois’ family had been constructed. The Do Good Initiative will be covering the cost of mulch.
We are stirred and inspired by the power that a community has to change the life of an individual. Today, Francois and his wife have over 700 coffee trees, and the hope that their dreams can be realized. The people of Huro are woven tightly together as they work to see that happen.