Ethiopia – Guji Liyu

Ethiopia – Guji Liyu

Guji Liyu comes from the Sidama zone in the region of Oromia in southern Ethiopia. Guji is a relatively remote district found in East Sidamo and was named after one of the tribes of the Oromo people. More than any other country, Ethiopia has a broad genetic diversity among its coffee varieties, with each type having distinctive taste, shape and colour. As a result, each region in the country can offer a different flavour profile, forming the grading system for Ethiopian coffees e.g. Sidamo, Harrar, Limu, Djimmah etc. Guji coffee is well known for its complex floral aroma and citrus notes.

Guji Liyu is a washed coffee grown at over 2000 metres above sea level. Much of the coffee grown in Ethiopia is done so using traditional methods, under shade trees alongside other crops and without the use of chemicals. It is grown by smallholders, who often have just 1-2 hectares of coffee growing in their back garden. Through the purchase of this coffee, we are supporting the ‘Girls Gotta Run Foundation’ in the price paid for our Guji Liyu. This is a non-profit organisation that empowers girls in Ethiopia through running and education. The UN Population Fund identified that early marriage is the most prevalent factor in cutting short the education of girls across all regions in Ethiopia. Although the government has outlawed marriage before the age of 18, 24% of girls are still taken out of school and married by the age of just 15. While most girls supported by GGRF do not become professional athletes, some do and the training given allows the girls to stay in school and avoid early marriage and pregnancy. In turn, this can enhance their personal economic opportunities and gives them a safe space to develop their sense of community, leaving them better equipped to face the challenges posed to them during their most vulnerable years.

GGRF provides ‘Athletic Scholarships’ for girls entering secondary school, these include the following:

• Full scholarship to attend secondary school including healthcare for the student and her mother, daily meals, uniform, books, writing materials, tutoring, access to school clubs and library, showers and space to wash clothes on a weekend.
• Completion of the GGRF/CCL Life Skills Curriculum, developed to create safe spaces for girls and provide experiential learning modules on family planning, financial literacy, HIV/AIDS awareness, nutrition, healthy relationships, leadership and creative expression.
• Running clothes, shoes and healthy snacks for the year.
• Entrance and transportation to Ethiopian races throughout the year.
• Oversight of a coach and academic mentor.

So far since 2006, 50 girls have been supported by GGRF and are challenging some of the social and cultural norms in Ethiopia by continuing their education at university. We are so pleased to be able to continue our support of this fantastic organisation this year, and if you would like any further information about the GGRF, please visit their website: http://www.girlsgottarun.org/

It is widely believed that coffee originates from Ethiopia and is therefore indigenous to the country, though there are other schools of thought that suggest it may have all started in Sudan. Generally speaking though, it is the town of Kaffa, from which coffee derives its name, that is considered the rightful birthplace of this wonderful commodity and, to this day, coffee grows wild in the area. Research suggests that coffee was originally used as a food – ground still raw and blended with animal fats. Kaldi is of course the famous name of our industry, for legend has it that it was this goatherd who discovered coffee. He copied his goats by eating the bright red cherries that made them so lively and in doing so joined in with their wild dancing. A preacher observing such frivolities hurled Kaldi’s cherries onto a fire declaring them the devil’s work – until the air was filled with the delightful aromas of the roasting beans, upon which he relented, declaring such a fragrance to be surely the work of God!

Ethiopia produces a wide range of coffee with each region’s beans having very distinctive characteristics making some of these the best and most sought after in the world. Key producing regions include Harar, Sidamo, Yirgacheffe (in Sidamo), Limu, Djimmah, Lekempti and Bebeka. Ethiopia is the largest coffee producer in Africa and in the Arabica league is third, in the world with a production of between 4 and 5 million bags.