Inaugural World Water Day In 2009, we kicked off our inaugural World Water Day fundraiser in Portland. The funds raised from the walk-a-thon event went to Water for All, a non-profit organization that builds and installs water pumps throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Two pumps were built in coffee-growing regions in Ethiopia. Access to clean water for sub-Saharan African countries is extremely limited and makes the most simple daily tasks onerous.  This means that women and children, who  bear the brunt of this duty, spend hours transporting water back to their families, thus taking time away from school. Additionally, lack of clean water creates unhygienic conditions that breed disease. Clean, easy-to-access water leads to huge leaps in quality of life for communities throughout this region. The Human Bean drive-thru helps create H.O.P.E. and Opportunity for the People of Ethiopia. Project H.O.P.E., which stands for Hope and Opportunity for the People of Ethiopia, will build a much needed community center for the Ethiopian farming community of Kochere. This community hub will provide a common meeting place for educational purposes as well as a vital medical dispensary for the people in Kochere. Farm Friendly Direct products have a unique opportunity to make a positive difference in the coffee world through direct, socially responsible, coffee sourcing. Social and economic prosperity in coffee regions is of great importance to The Human Bean. People involved in any production system should be able to achieve stable working and living situations which enable them to live with dignity and security. It is anticipated that project construction will begin in late 2005. In the future, The Human Bean  hopes that other coffee competitors will join in on its efforts to help sustain the community center for years to come. Farm Friendly Direct’s program involves paying growers a premium for their coffee, with 100% of that premium going to farm and community projects. This direct purchasing relationship is mutually beneficial for The Human Bean and the grower. The Human Bean is guaranteed a constant and consistent supply of the highest quality coffee while their growers and local communities receive above fair-market pricing and investments into local infrastructure. Endeavors such as Project H.O.P.E. support their mission to promote sustainable business practices. There is no better place to give back than Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia—the birthplace of Arabica coffees. This delicious Kochere coffee is wet-processed which allows its delicate flavors to show through. These coffees have often been described as having an intense, distinctive flowery bouquet with a smooth citrusy flavor.