Mikuba (Washed) - Burundi

A trip to Mikuba is something to look forward to. The hill is flanked by the Ruvubu, a river known for its deep waters. Mikuba is a stone’s throw away from Heza Washing Station, but stretches out, far and wide. Some farmers walk only a couple of meters to deliver their cherries to the washing station whilst others have to walk more than 5km to reach it. The hill is usually covered in bright blue and yellow flowers that line its narrow dirt walking paths. Forests of acacia trees also cover the landscape. Patches of tomatoes, sweet potato, cabbage, cassava and peas lined by the tall stalks of wheat and maize wrap the hill in every imaginable shade of gold and green. Canopies of banana trees are planted alongside coffee, creating a cooler environment for the coffee to grow in.

Switch-backing up mountainsides and across small, hand-built log bridges, visiting Heza Washing Station in the Kayanza province at 1,960 masl can be likened to an off-road adventure. To say Heza Washing Station is ‘remote’ would be an understatement and yet the community that lives in the surrounding hills is a special one, comprised mostly of coffee farmers. Heza means ‘beautiful place’ in Kirundi.  With panoramic views and an ever-changing East African sky, this washing station lives up to its name.