Kenyan Company in BBC World Competition

On Saturday 8 October and Sunday 9 October, Vava Coffee, a local Kenyan coffee company, was featured in a BBC World News television programme dubbed ‘World Challenge 2011’.

The programme is part of a six-part series showcasing the 12 finalists from World Challenge 2011, an annual competition run by BBC World News and Newsweek in association with Shell. The competition highlights and rewards small enterprising and innovative businesses bringing economic, social and environmental benefits to local communities around the world.

Founded two and a half years ago by 30-year-old Vava Angwenyi, Vava Coffee produces high quality Kenya coffee blends as well as Ethiopian, Tanzanian, Rwandan and Malawian blends. The company was selected firstly due to its unique business model-selling up-market coffee, handsomely packaged and telling a brief story of the farmers and the packers. Secondly, and more importantly, Vava was recognized for its commitment and support to the coffee growers within its network.

“Our coffee is packaged in handcrafted bags through which we are supporting a group of rehabilitated youth in Kajiado County as well as a group of HIV women in the slums of Kibera,” she says.

The winning project out of the 12 finalists will receive a US$20,000 grant from Shell. Two runners up will each receive US$10,000 to help develop their initiatives.

To vote for Vava visit www.theworldchallenge.co.uk. Polls close at midnight on 11 November. Winners will be announced at an award ceremony in The Netherlands, which will air on BBC World News on 3 December 2011.

Fans can comment and find exclusive content on the Facebook page via http://www.facebook.com/bbcworldchallenge, on the You Tube channel www.youtube.com/bbcworldchallenge and/or follow the latest competition news on Twitter via @WorldChallenge.

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