Close to the source of the Nile
Gitega Hills washing station sits in Rwanda's southern highlands, near Nyungwe Forest and the traced source of the Nile. The surrounding farms deliver cherry from 1,700–1,900 masl, where volcanic soils and cool temperatures build the conditions for a clean, expressive cup. Around 1,040 smallholder farmers contribute cherry to the station across the season.

Bernard Uwitije
The station was founded by Bernard Uwitije, who grew up in a coffee-producing family in the area and had been trading conventional coffee until 2015, when he made the shift to fully washed specialty processing. Gitega Hills was established in 2016 and now employs 150 people: 90% women, with 11 permanent staff and the rest seasonal. The station is embedded in the local community in Miko, a small town nearby, and the work it provides is a significant part of life there.

Fully washed
Freshly delivered cherry is pulped, wet fermented, and sorted by density through water-filled grading channels. The wet parchment is dried under cover for 24 hours before moving to raised beds for around 15 days, during which it is continually hand-sorted to remove defects. It's a disciplined, careful process that shows in the cup.