On the cloudy but warm and beautiful day of 29th June, Our company celebrated its anticipated Out Grower’s Day for the fourth consecutive year at one of our mesmerizing Damo Station, In harmony with the achievement of growth with another milestone in supporting our coffee community.
As our 2508 coffee out-grower farmers gathered to commemorate their day with another level of achievements just a day after Ethiopia recorded another achievement at the cup of excellence 2021 auction where this year’s No. 1 winner Ato Tamiru Tadesse and last year’s No 1 winner Ato Nigussie Gemeda and of course the 8th place winner and our CEO Ato Asefa Dukamo were among other respectful guests including community and religious leaders and government officials. This year’s celebration is raised to heights of mounts Bombe and Bensa when the health insurance coverage to our members and their under 18 year olds was unveiled by Ato Asefa.
The remarking and closing speech was made by the guest of honor Ato Tesema Dima a special advisor to the president of the Sidama regional state who conveyed a message on behalf of the regional government that Daye Bensa is on the right path of business contributing towards job opportunities creation, poverty reduction and making the region’s well know through marketing and promotions so that more revenue leading to more financial support to local community and more taxes to the government. Before that few speakers also addressed the farmers with words of encouragement and support.
Ato Alemayehu, from the public health division at the regional health bureau, has also delivered a remarkable note as to how the members benefit from this scheme facilitated by Daye Bensa Coffee. “This company paves the way so that the others also to follow”, he remarks adding that the coffee community needs to work hard towards sustainability and quality to achieve desired goals for the betterment of everyone.
Ato Asefa Dukamo, owner and CEO of our company at his opening speech noted that our growth is realized in making our coffee community a center of development. We are growing not only in volume but also in quality. A quality in coffee production means it is a reward in improving the quality of life of coffee growers. He added that apart from the provision of finance worth more than 16M birr (363,218 USD) as a second payment, our new health insurance coverage is another milestone where our commitment towards our goals to grow together. He congratulated those who benefited from this scheme and promised that the coverage will be expanded to wider areas and more members as we continue holding each other's hand.
Ato Tamirat Hariso a head administrator of Bensa Wereda (district) thanked our company for continuous supports provided to schools, health departments and road works in addition to recent promises made to finance the areas of electrification of villages in Shantawene and its surroundings.
Ato Mekuria Mershaye, mayor of Daye town thanked Ato Asefa and his company for the establishment of various community serving centers in the town being the first and an example to others.
Ato Behailu W/Senbet, a country representative for Starbucks thanked coffee producers of beautiful hands for providing a certified coffee to his company so that their coffee is consumed and loved globally. He encouraged them to grow more quality coffee in maintaining good practices of farming. He also noted that Starbucks has a plan to work with the coffee community in collaboration with Daye Bensa Coffee with an introduction of different projects that would benefit coffee growers in addition to training and monitoring already in place.
All speakers promised to provide all the necessary support to Asefa and Daye Bensa so that the company’s desire in serving coffee communities is achieved.
Finally, saving books were handed over to member farmers with confirmations of deposits of the second payments by Ato Tessema and Ato Asefa.
Initiatives like these play a major role in putting the coffee-producing source in the spotlight and giving the recognition it deserves. We will come back with another report and feedbacks from member farmers' reactions and reflections to this event and overall performances.