Partnering for Impact: Global Water Challenge and The Starbucks Foundation

Partnering for Impact:

Global Water Challenge &
The Starbucks Foundation

Launched in 2021, the partnership between Global Water Challenge (GWC) and The Starbucks Foundation was designed to strengthen community resilience and expand economic opportunities for women and girls in coffee- and tea-growing communities across Tanzania, East Africa.

Our joint initiative, WASH & Women Empowerment (WAWE), supported by GWC’s women for water platform and local partners Amref Health Africa (Amref) and Tanzania Association of Environmental Engineers (TAEES), aimed to improve the health and economic well-being of communities, especially 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.

This initiative supports The Starbucks Foundation’s global commitment to positively impact the lives of 1 million women and girls in coffee-, tea-, and cocoa-growing communities by 2030.

Together, our partnership has reached nearly 100 villages across Kilolo, Mufindi and Njombe districts, empowering close to 50,000 women and girls through a combination of improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, alongside comprehensive entrepreneurship, and skills-building programs.

What We’ve Achieved Together

Together, GWC and The Starbucks Foundation have made a tangible difference in the lives of people in Tanzania.
Here are a few key highlights:

Nearly 0

Over 0

Over 90,000 people, in Mufindi, Kilolo, and Njombe Districts positively impacted by the project

women and girls reached benefitting from improved access to WASH as well as new opportunities through entrepreneurship and financial skills training

Coffee-and-tea growing communities
+ 14 schools reached now benefit from improved water supply, WASH facilities and economic opportunities

women entrepreneurship
groups supported

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

The Ripple Starts with Her

Women in coffee- and tea-growing communities in Tanzania face a range of interconnected socio-economic and environmental challenges that significantly limit their ability to build healthy, financially sustainable livelihoods. These challenges include limited access to education and income-generating opportunities, compounded by the effects of climate change and gender-based disparities.

Critically, inadequate access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services further exacerbates these barriers, disproportionately affecting women and girls, who often bear the burden of water collection and household caregiving.

According to UNICEF, in rural Tanzania, only 50% of the population has access to basic drinking water services, and just 34% has access to basic sanitation, with women and girls most affected by these deficits. The lack of reliable WASH infrastructure not only impacts health but also places a heavy burden on women, limiting their time and opportunities for education, economic participation, and leadership.

This is why empowering women through equitable access to WASH is not simply a matter of meeting basic needs; it is a foundational strategy for building resilient, thriving communities.

Working through our women for water platform which empowers women with equitable WASH access and strengthens their leadership in community water management, we see how improved access to safe and reliable WASH services leads to far-reaching benefits. The Ripple Effect Study, supported by GWC, demonstrates that when women and girls gain access to safe and reliable WASH services, the benefits extend far beyond the individual: improving health and dignity, increasing school attendance, expanding income-generating opportunities, and enabling more active participation in household and community decision-making. Addressing WASH challenges through a gender-responsive lens is not only transformative for women, but also essential for the long-term well-being and sustainability of entire communities.

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

Empowering Women and Girls Through Integrated Action:
WASH, Skills, and Health

Through our partnership, women and girls, and their communities across Kilolo, Mufindi and Njombe districts have gained improved access to critical WASH services.

This included the construction of one water tank, the protection of 26 water sources, and the rehabilitation of 12 water systems, supplying clean water to more than 100 water points. Additionally, a combined total of 10 sanitation blocks were constructed and rehabilitated, alongside the construction of 19 handwashing stations and the establishment of 8 Menstrual and Hygiene Management rooms, implemented across 98 coffee and tea-growing communities and 14 schools.

These infrastructure improvements were supported by targeted hygiene promotion efforts, including WASH training and education on proper handwashing practices and building their own home sanitation facilities, helping to ensure lasting behavior change and improved public outcomes.

To further empower women and strengthen community resilience, the partnership also placed a strong emphasis on economic empowerment through the formation and support of women’s entrepreneurship groups.

Over 600 women’s groups were established and supported, providing members with access to comprehensive skills development opportunities. These included training in business development, income-generating activities, group management, and record keeping, equipping women with the practical tools, knowledge and confidence needed to launch and grow small-scale enterprises. In addition, the project helped connect close to 300 women to essential healthcare services by introducing them to available options and facilitating their registration, contributing to improved health outcomes and greater well-being for themselves and their families.

Combined with improved access to WASH, these efforts have enabled women to play more active roles in the economic and social well-being of their families and communities. Women who once faced barriers to participation are now leading income-generating initiatives, managing group enterprises, and contributing to household decision-making and financial security.

Through this integrated approach, our partnership has demonstrated the transformative power of linking WASH access with women’s economic empowerment – creating lasting, multi-dimensional impact across communities in Tanzania.

Tanzania video story of transformation and community impact

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.”

Yulitha, Imelda and Kiliana’s Story

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 Story

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’s Story

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’s Story

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’s Story

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’s Story

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’s Story

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.

Global Water Challenge with our women for water platform grounded in the Ripple Effect Study, has been instrumental in building community resilience by placing women and girls at the center of solutions for clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and life skills. Mobilizing collective, women-led action has empowered successful initiatives such as our Starbucks Foundation partnership in collaboration with local partners and government authorities. This approach has enabled us to deliver impactful, evidence-based initiatives, which is why our programs consistently achieve meaningful and sustainable results.

Our collaborative efforts have driven a timely and sustainable response to critical WASH challenges in Tanzania. This integrated, multi-pronged approach has not only improved health and well-being but also advanced empowerment and economic development, enabling communities in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands to look forward to a future filled with hope and dignity.

Learn more about the Global Water Challenge and The Starbucks Foundation
and how you can support our work.