The Commons is Built by Community

The word "commons" is a verb. It is an act of sharing, of stewarding, of participating in something larger than oneself. Here, we are not just building an archive; we are nurturing a living ecosystem of stories, knowledge, and biodiversity. The soul and reach of Coffee Commons is sustained by a global community of individuals who believe in the importance of honouring the source. Your contribution, in any form, is an act of preservation. It is a declaration that this history matters.

Every story we record, every heirloom varietal we save, and every connection we build is made possible through this shared effort. We have designed several pathways for you to join this vital work, and we are deeply grateful for any support you choose to offer. This is how you can help us ensure the legacy of coffee is not just consumed but cherished and understood for generations to come.

Your contribution directly fuels our work in the field and at our research centre. It is a direct investment in the preservation of coffee's cultural and botanical heritage. We are committed to absolute transparency, ensuring your support is channelled into the areas of greatest impact.

Your donation empowers us to:

• Fund Fieldwork: A contribution can equip our oral historians with the durable recording equipment needed to travel to remote kebeles (communities), allowing them to capture stories that might otherwise be lost to time.
• Support the Living Library: Your gift helps us maintain our botanical sanctuary. It funds the careful work of grafting, soil enrichment, and genetic sequencing required to protect and study endangered heirloom varietals.
• Invest in Archival Technology: We can preserve these precious histories for the future by investing in secure, open-access digital platforms, professional translation services, and transcription software.
• Develop Educational Resources: Your support allows us to build our digital exhibitions, publish our research, and create materials that share this knowledge with the world.

Whether a one-time gift or a recurring donation, your stewardship makes you a direct partner in our mission. 

The most precious contributions to our collection are not monetary. They are the memories, stories, and songs held within the community. Your memory could be a missing chapter in coffee's biography.

We invite you to contribute your knowledge. This could be:

• A family story about coffee that has been passed down through generations.
• A recollection of a specific harvest ritual or a song sung while sorting beans.
• An understanding of the traditional medicinal uses of the coffee plant.
• Old family photographs showing coffee farming or ceremonies.

Our team of archivists is trained to conduct these conversations with the utmost respect, care, and confidentiality. The process is collaborative, and you will always remain the owner of your story, giving full consent for how it is shared. If you or an elder you know holds a piece of this history, we would be honoured to listen.

Our community extends far beyond Ethiopia’s borders. We welcome the support of skilled volunteers from around the world who are passionate about our mission. While we do not currently have on-site volunteer programs, we often have needs for remote assistance.

We are particularly interested in hearing from individuals with expertise in:

• Translation: Fluency in Amharic, Oromo, Tigrinya, and other regional languages to assist with transcribing and translating oral histories.
• Archival Research: Assistance with academic research, cross-referencing historical texts, and data annotation.
• Audio/Video Editing: Skilled support in cleaning up and editing field recordings for our digital archive.

If you have a professional skill you believe would be of service, please get in touch with us.