Global Water Challenge &
Launched in 2021, Global Water Challenge and The Starbucks Foundation’s women and girl-focused partnership was developed to build community resilience and improve economic opportunity in coffee- and tea-growing communities in Tanzania, East Africa, where Starbucks operates.
Our joint initiative, WASH & Women Empowerment (WAWE), focused on improving the health and economic status of these communities—particularly women and girls—by increasing access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); establishing entrepreneurship groups; promoting women’s leadership; and providing training in various agriculture techniques, entrepreneurship skills, and financial literacy.
Building on the project’s foundational success from the initial rollout, our partnership activities have extended into close to 100 villages and through our collaborative efforts over 90,000 people have been positively impacted.
This initiative contributes to The Starbucks Foundation’s commitment to positively impact 1 million women and girls in coffee-, tea- and cocoa-growing communities by 2030.
Through our partnership with The Starbucks Foundation and supported by local partners Tanzania Association of Environmental Engineers (TAEES) and Amref Health Africa, we have implemented projects to improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) access, advance women’s empowerment, and community health in coffee-and-tea growing communities.
Women from coffee- and tea-growing communities in Tanzania face complex socio-economic and environmental challenges, creating obstacles to building healthy and financially sustainable livelihoods, and further exacerbated by water challenges in their communities. GWC’s partnership with The Starbucks Foundation in Tanzania is a prime example of how organizations can play a critical role in positively transforming the lives of these women.
Empowering women is crucial for building resilient communities. Our interventions have provided valuable skills development training programs, this included establishing women’s entrepreneurship groups, where women received entrepreneurial skills training and learned about group management and record keeping. This training has promoted women’s leadership, building confidence for the women to grow their small-scale business efforts using the entrepreneurship skills and financial literacy skills acquired. Our project has supported income-generating activities improving the livelihoods for over 23,000 women and girls in Tanzania.
Empowering women is crucial for building resilient communities. Our interventions have provided valuable skills development training programs, this included establishing women’s entrepreneurship groups, where women received entrepreneurial skills training and learned about group management and record keeping. This training has promoted women’s leadership, building confidence for the women to grow their small-scale business efforts using the entrepreneurship skills and financial literacy skills acquired. Our project has supported income-generating activities improving the livelihoods for over 23,000 women and girls in Tanzania.
The Starbucks Foundation partnership prioritizes women and girls’ empowerment through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), as one of the most reliable pathways to build community resilience and improve the health and economic status of smallholder farmers and their families.
Monica Ellis,
Global Water Challenge CEO
Our Impact in Numbers
Together, GWC and The Starbucks Foundation have made a tangible difference in the lives of people in Tanzania.
Here are a few key highlights:
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Over 90,000 people including nearly 46,000 women and girls, now have access to improved water supply, enhancing their health and quality of life
Over 36 000 people reached through various entrepreneurship skills development programs and empowered to develop economic opportunities
Nearly 23,000 women and girls, members of over 600 entrepreneurship groups, economically empowered through skills development and training in entrepreneurship and financial literacy
98 communities positively impacted in Mufindi, Kilolo and Njombe Districts and 14 schools benefiting from improved access to Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities
Tanzania video story of transformation and community impact
Through the project’s efforts, communities have benefitted from improved access to Water, sanitation and health (WASH) services.
This was achieved through a combination of efforts, including providing increased access to WASH services, rehabilitation and construction of sanitation facilities, and promoting sustained behavior change in proper WASH practices. Our activities included high schools in the Mufindi region of Tanzania, where we constructed new sanitation and handwashing facilities, whilst also conducting WASH training and education on proper handwashing protocols.
With tailored interventions, specific to the water challenges of each region, the project has delivered improved WASH, and clean water access for schools and communities.
Through the implementation of community-based projects, project efforts have facilitated the construction of clean water supply systems, benefiting thousands of individuals in underserved areas. For women and girls this means less time spent walking miles to collect water and more time available to invest in their education, work and income opportunities, and an overall better quality of life. These interventions have not only addressed immediate WASH needs but have also laid a foundation for long-term health improvements, demonstrating the power of targeted, collaborative efforts in driving sustainable change in water challenged communities.
Anastazia’s Story
Anastazia attends an elementary school in the Kilolo District of Tanzania. For Anastazia, school used to mean hauling heavy jerricans of water from home. The school’s broken hand pump left students thirsty, tired, and distracted. But today, her story sparkles with new hope.
“Through the new water pump at our school we are happier and have less worries about water. We now have a clean learning environment, and we are confident, and focused. We no longer skip classes and travel long distances to fetch water.”
The partnership’s rehabilitation of water systems have breathed life back into Anastazia’s school. Students are energized, absenteeism and sickness caused by water issues have reduced. Classrooms are full, and learning is flowing—just like the clean water from their new tap. What used to be a daily struggle is now a celebration of access and dignity.
Sijali’s Story
Sijali is a tea farmer from the Mufindi district of Tanzania. Along with other women from her community, Sijali works to provide for her family on a tea farm in Mkonge village.
In response to the economic challenges experienced in the community, the women from Mkonge created a financial and health related support group, with a focus on building entrepreneurial opportunities. The group also assists women from the community affected by HIV/AIDS by teaching them about healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and facilitating access to ARV treatment.
Through the WAWE project efforts, the group was trained in enterprise skills, financial literacy, nutrition, and proper dietary habits. The skills Sijali and her fellow group members acquired have empowered them to access low interest loans to invest in potato farming increasing their income opportunities.
“Our group has become a pillar of strength in the community because of the support and training we received. Not only have we been able to grow our income through the potato farming, but we are now equipped to support women in our community. We have gained knowledge that allows us to provide a higher level of health-related information, helping the women to make informed decisions about their well-being and that of their families.”
To create a sustainable future of coffee, we must care for the well-being of the farmers and communities that grow coffee, tea and cocoa around the world. While we continue to provide holistic support to all farmers, helping to improve their lives and livelihoods, we know that when we invest in women, we are also investing in her community.
Michelle Burns,
Starbucks Executive Vice President of Global Coffee Tea
and Cocoa and board member of The Starbucks Foundation
Yulitha, Imelda and Kiliana, members of a women’s support group in Tanzania, East Africa, were empowered by Global Water Challenge’s (GWC) partnership with The Starbucks Foundation. The women belong to the Tumia Dawa Vizuri women’s group, which comprises of women from a coffee-and-tea growing community who make their living predominately from subsistence farming. Through the project’s targeted interventions, the women’s lives have been transformed through training and activities, enabling the women to access savings and loan associations, allowing them to secure low-interest loans to invest in a joint potato farming venture, consequently uplifting the livelihoods of their families.
The Shining Star group from Lwangu village in Njombe is an entrepreneurship group created by women predominately responsible for the well-being and livelihoods of their families. The group members are mostly involved in poultry and small-scale potato farming activities. The Shining Star group received training in enterprise & financial management skills, and how to improve business planning and management of their farming activities to increase their income.
Jenifer and her friends in Mufindi are beneficiaries of a new water pump at their school. Previously, the broken handpump forced students to use unsafe water, leading to health issues and school absenteeism. With the project’s interventions, the handpump is now functional, providing clean water for all the children to enjoy. Jenifer says, “Now that that clean water is available at school, it has made such a difference to our school lives. We can focus on our studies without worrying about water, and we are very happy.
Innocentia, a student at a high school in Mufindi, now has a clean handwashing facility constructed with the support from the project’s local partner Amref Africa. Innocentia says, "Now I can wash my hands anytime, and I have learned about the importance of clean hands and good health.” The new handwashing station has transformed Innocentia’s school to a healthier learning environment.
Stulida used to worry about accessing clean water for herself and her family. Her daily chores, health concerns about waterborne disease from unclean water sources, and the time consuming trips to find clean water affected the quality of her life. Through our partnership with the Starbucks Foundation and support from our local partner TAEEs, a new water tank was constructed providing clean water for Stulida and her community. Stulida says “the days of long trips to fetch water and worrying about my family’s health are over, the new water tank and clean water has given our community a bright new future”.
Tumaini and Happy are from Kifanya ward, Njombe region. Skills gained from training, such as financial management, entrepreneurship, and proper record keeping management and financial literacy enabled them to grow their business making liquid soaps, hair shampoo and detergents. The products are branded with the group business name and donor logos placed below their labels to acknowledge donor contribution to the group.
Justina is a young mother from Kifanya who works hard to contribute to the livelihood of her family. Having previously faced challenges limiting her opportunities, the GWC and Starbucks Foundation partnership platform provided her with the skills and support needed to overcome these hurdles. Through the project, Justina was trained in business management, financial literacy and record keeping. Now, empowered with new capabilities, Justina is successfully running her own small business, operating a stall selling to community members and generating an income that supports her entrepreneurial growth and her family’s well-being.
Our collective efforts, supported by local implementing partners and government authorities, have enabled the development of a timely and sustainable response to critical WASH challenges, while promoting empowerment and economic development for women, girls, and their communities across Tanzania.
With the project’s multi-pronged approach to improving community health and well-being, communities in Tanzania’s beautiful Southern Highlands, can look forward to a brighter future with the hope and dignity of their improved circumstances.
Learn more about the Global Water Challenge and The Starbucks Foundation
and how you can support our work.