Afroma House was founded over coffee at Howard University by Kikomeko Muhammad, a Ugandan student at Howard University, and Jahmal Sands, American recent Hampton University graduate. They discovered shared connections: both attended HBCUs, living in Uganda, and sharing a passion for Ugandan coffee. Jahmal’s grandfather led a World Bank research developing Uganda’s drought-resistant Robusta, and while in Uganda he’d often visit his father’s friend’s coffee garden. Muhammad’s grandparents owned coffee gardens, and he’d pick coffee during school breaks.

Discussing coffee prices, they noted the disparity between farm gate prices and high-end coffee shop prices, like those at Howard University, contributing to Ugandan women coffee farmers’ poor living standards despite high international coffee prices. Inspired to make a difference they decided to form a company to buy coffee from Ugandan women farmers at a better price, sell it in the US, and dedicate profits to support these women. In 2009, they co-founded Afroma House Coffee, a social impact business bringing Ugandan Coffee to American tables