You might not think about it when you’re pouring your morning cup, but your coffee is doing some pretty amazing things in the world. Through our partnership with 1% for the Planet, every bag you buy supports five incredible nonprofits tackling coffee’s biggest challenges—everything from crop diseases to clean water access, community-led development, women’s health, and food security. We get regular updates from these organizations, and mid-year feels like the perfect time to pause, reflect, and share the progress your purchases have helped fuel.
World Coffee Research: Coffee Science Without Borders
Coffee leaf rust continues to threaten farmers worldwide, and World Coffee Research is leading a global, collaborative response. In a June 2025 update, WCR reported on a multi-country study of 29 Coffea arabica varieties across 23 sites in 15 countries. “No single country or institution can solve the complex challenges facing coffee on its own,” says Dr. Tania Humphrey, WCR’s Scientific Director. Findings from this shared trial are already helping guide farmers and breeders toward more rust-resilient choices. Coffee leaf rust is just one of WCR’s many research priorities. Through programs like its Next Generation F1 Hybrid Varieties initiative, WCR is breeding climate‑smart, high-performing plants. These efforts and others are building the toolbox farmers need to secure coffee’s future.
Project Waterfall: Clean Water Close to Home
Our partner Project Waterfall continues to bring clean water access to coffee-growing communities in Ethiopia and Rwanda. In Ethiopia’s Berbere district, over 23,000 people now benefit from 12 new water points and hygiene programs. In Rwanda, their large-scale project is nearing completion, aiming to serve nearly 47,000 people. As Project Waterfall reminds us, “While we enjoy the purest filtered water in our coffee, the communities at the end of its supply chain face a water crisis.” Your support helps bridge that gap, improving health and farm productivity in some of the most vulnerable regions.
The Chain Collaborative – East & Central Africa Cohort
The Chain Collaborative focuses on community-led development in coffee regions, helping local leaders design and launch projects that reflect their own priorities.
This year, One Village Coffee’s support fuels TCC’s 2025-2026 East Africa Cohort, which includes four organizations from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. Since April, these groups have been in the Learning & Design Phase—monthly sessions on community-led development, leadership, strategic visioning, and project planning—paired with one-on-one guidance to shape actionable plans. “Sustainable change comes from within,” TCC emphasizes, and these sessions are laying the groundwork for long-term, locally driven success.
Grounds for Health: Preventing Cervical Cancer in Coffee Communities
Grounds for Health provides life-saving cervical cancer screenings and treatment in coffee-growing areas of Latin America and Africa. Cervical cancer is “nearly 100% preventable” when early detection and care are available. In May, GFH raised over $85,000 to purchase more than 6,000 HPV test kits, which are now making their way to communities this summer. GFH also trains local health providers and expands HPV self-sampling programs. Their work ensures healthier women, stronger families, and resilient coffee communities.
Food4Farmers: Year-Round Food Security for Coffee Farmers
Many coffee-farming families face “thin months” between harvests when food runs low. Food4Farmers partners with cooperatives across Latin America to build food security through kitchen gardens, beekeeping, and diversified crops.
On a recent visit to Guatemala, F4F attended a pop-up market at the ACODIHUE cooperative where farmers sold products from their home gardens and hives—honey, baked goods, salsas, and more. These small businesses, supported by F4F programs, provide vital supplemental income and are inspiring plans for a permanent weekly market. Your coffee purchases help ensure families have both food and income year-round.
In closing…
When you look at these stories, it’s clear that small, everyday choices can create lasting impact. Through One Village Coffee’s 1% for the Planet commitment, every purchase supports research to protect coffee crops, clean water projects, community empowerment, women’s health programs, and food security initiatives in coffee-growing regions. Your daily cup helps strengthen farms, families, and the planet we share. Together, we can keep building a future where coffee truly supports the communities that make it possible.
Thank you for being part of this village <3
— The One Village Coffee Team
