Press release

Contact: Amy MacIver, 206.302.4522, amaciver@path.org.

$500,000 Starbucks Foundation grant to address water, sanitation, and hygiene in coffee-growing communities in Tanzania

Seattle, November 16, 2012—PATH today announced a two-year US$500,000 grant from the Starbucks Foundation to make clean drinking water and safe sanitation solutions available and accessible to coffee-growing communities in Tanzania.

Limited access to clean water and safe sanitation in low-income households is a critical factor in Tanzania’s struggle with waterborne diseases. This collaboration between the Starbucks Foundation and PATH will focus on improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems in southwest Tanzania’s Mbeya district.

“We are delighted at the opportunity to work with Starbucks for the first time through this effort,” said Steve Davis, PATH’s president and CEO. “With this new funding, PATH has the opportunity to expand our work in meeting some of the most basic human needs and in making inroads against waterborne disease, the second-leading killer of children worldwide.”

PATH has worked successfully in dozens of countries across multiple regions to develop sustainable solutions in the field of water, hygiene, and sanitation.
“PATH has a deep understanding of this field, and we value the expertise they bring to developing the appropriate solutions for these communities,” said Rodney Hines, executive director, Starbucks Foundation. “By supporting this work, we believe there will be a positive and long-lasting impact in this important coffee-growing region.”

Currently under way, the first phase of the project includes a comprehensive analysis of the unique WASH system needs for these communities. During this time, PATH will engage community stakeholders and health care workers, as well as local enterprises and entrepreneurs to identify and develop relevant solutions. The second phase will focus on implementation, with the PATH team working with the local communities to introduce new technologies and approaches specifically tailored to each community's critical WASH needs. Successful outcomes may pave the way to replicate this project in other areas of the world.

About PATH

PATH is an international nonprofit organization that transforms global health through innovation. PATH takes an entrepreneurial approach to developing and delivering high-impact, low-cost solutions, from lifesaving vaccines and devices to collaborative programs with communities. Through our work in more than 70 countries, PATH and our partners empower people to achieve their full potential.