He brings joy to millions of lives through the work of his tired and calloused hands, often without recognition. He works long hours and his days seem to last forever in the heat of the African sun. Being a cof-fee bean farmer is exhausting no matter where you’re harvesting from, but when you’re living in one of the most economi-cally devastated countries in the world, getting your beans to the market can prove impossible, and in some cases, deadly. For a coffee bean farmer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this is his reality. That’s why Starbucks is teaming up with one of the biggest names in Hollywood to bring prosper-ity back to a nation that was once a thriving industry. “Starbucks has purchased 40 tons of coffee representing millions of cups of coffee,” said actor and philanthropist Ben Affleck in front of a U.S. Senate hearing. “From a relatively modest in-vestment, farmer’s incomes have more than tripled.” Affleck, who is founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, recently joined forces with Starbucks in order to rebuild and renew the Congolese coffee harvesting community to the status it used to hold. The effort will take some time according to Affleck, considering the area has been suffering from widespread violence and famine for decades. With a

nearly 90% decrease in coffee production since the tumultuous 1970s, the dedicated farmers still laboring in the Congo are yearning for a change, and with the ongoing support from Affleck and the recent partner-ship with Starbucks, change is imminent. “This isn’t charity or aid in the traditional sense,” Affleck said regarding the joint ef-fort. “It’s good business, not only for ECI

and Starbucks, but for the farmers who can now send their children to school, put food on the table, and more importantly, access proper health care.” Starbucks has always been focused on delivering the highest quality products in the most ethically and responsible ways. This endeavor, according to Starbucks senior

vice president of Global Responsibility John Kelly, is just another step in the process of establishing Starbucks as a global leader in ethically sourced beans. “Starbucks and ECI hope that continued development will help raise standards of liv-ing and ensure that Congolese communities become permanent, growing participants in the global trading system,” said Kelly after

the hearing. This hearing is the first and most im-portant step in a process that will help more than 10,000 farmers in the Congo gain a competitive advantage in the market for coffee beans in the next four years. Not only is Starbucks committed to helping these farmers harvest higher quality Arabica beans, but the ongoing nature of the plan ensures economic stability for the entire nation. “The Congolese people refuse to be defined by their past,” Affleck said as he looked beyond the panel into the faces of those who could help this plan take flight. “The statistics tell you

nothing about Congo’s future or about the extraordinary and resilient people working every day to rebuild their nation.” Rebuilding the economy of a nation will be hard work, but with the support from Af-fleck and Starbucks, the farmer who works for the well-being of his family will be eternally grateful.

S i r e n ’ s E y eHollywood Star and Starbucks Join Forces

dStriving to bring prosperity to the Congo. Where a robust civil society can flourish.

For more information www.easterncongo.org

Affleck addresses the U.S. Senate

Spring Issue 2016

Starbucks Coffee Company