At Volcanica Coffee, we’ve always believed that great coffee starts with strong communities. That’s why we teamed up with charity: water—to support clean water projects in the regions where many of our coffees are grown. It’s our way of giving back to the people and places that make what we do possible.

One of the projects we’re proud to be part of is featured in this report. It focuses on bringing clean, safe water to rural communities in Tanzania through piped tap stands. In areas where millions of people don’t have reliable access to water, these systems are a big step forward— making everyday life healthier and more manageable for thousands of families. We're grateful for the opportunity to support this work and be part of something that creates lasting impact.

Tanzania

Population: 71.7 million
Capital: Dodoma
Primary languages: Swahili, English
Primary religions: Christianity, Islam

The Need

In rural Tanzania, where approximately 63% of the population resides, over 23 million people lack access to basic water services. The country has an under-5 mortality rate of 4.9%, which can largely be attributed to waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea. These diseases stem from a lack of high-quality and sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure. Overall, Tanzania is ranked 160 out of 191 countries on the 2022 Human Development Index.

The Programming

Implementing Partner: Water Mission

Water Mission has worked in Tanzania since 2012. They build projects in both development and emergency relief settings and have served more than 700,000 people across the mainland to date. Their current focus is on building sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) solutions in the Dodoma and Kigoma Regions. Thanks to their in-house engineering and community development capabilities, Water Mission Tanzania’s projects are robust and well-rounded.

charity: water and Water Mission Tanzania began working together in 2022.

• $1,250,000 INVESTED
• 41,089 PEOPLE WILL BE SERVED
• 89 PROJECTS FUNDED

• Sustainability Highlight:
• Water Mission Tanzania conducts monthly follow-ups for a year after project completion. If all aspects are functioning properly, they transfer responsibility to the community and the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA).
• Each water project has a SatWater unit installed, which allows Water Mission Tanzania to monitor the project’s performance for approximately five years. The data is also used to evaluate the long-term functionality of projects.
• Water Mission Tanzania provides training for RUWASA technicians and engineers and encourages them to be involved in the technical and financial management of the water system.
• To promote sustainable management of water systems, Water Mission Tanzania uses a Rural Water Cooperative Strategy. The strategy follows these principles: an area-based approach, professional management with timely support, financial sustainability, and the availability of quality spare parts.

Solution: Piped System Tap Stands

Cost: $22,563.65

Piped systems are good options if a water source has a high enough yield to sustain multiple water distribution points or is too far away for a community to access. These interconnected pipelines use gravity, electricity, solar power, or a combination of methods to bring water directly to distribution points. The size and structure of the system are tailored to the geography, amount of water available, and financial and technical resources.

Serves approximately: 415 people