Grounds for Health, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to prevention of cervical cancer in developing countries, announced it has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE).
The agreement aims to improve the lives and livelihoods of coffee farming families by delivering much-needed women’s health services to those communities.
Guy Stallworthy, CEO and President of Grounds for Health and David Veal, President of SCAE, signed the memorandum of understanding during a breakfast event at World of Coffee 2015, the annual SCAE conference held this year in Gothenburg, Sweden.
“We’re thrilled to be a partner of choice for the SCAE,” stated Stallworthy. “Foundational social issues, such as women’s healthcare, contribute to the resiliency of coffee-growing communities and, therefore, the future of the supply chain. We’re looking forward to working with the SCAE leadership and its members on projects that reinforce the important role of women at origin.”
The three-year collaboration commences July 1st, 2015 and will focus on programs to increase visibility and financial support for Grounds for Health’s work, mutually reinforce each organization’s mission and expand Grounds for Health’s reach and impact delivering cervical cancer screening and treatment services to women in the coffeelands.
The two organizations will work together to identify projects that reflect their shared interest in supply chain sustainability and commitment to improving farmers’ quality of life.
“Grounds for Health is an organization with significant, tangible impact,” said Veal. “As an organization that advocates for protecting the future of coffee, we are delighted to have Grounds for Health as a SCAE charity partner and to work with them to support more sustainable, healthy and durable origin communities.”
In the next 15 years, it is estimated that six million women will die from cervical cancer, despite the fact that it can be easily prevented. Nearly 90% of these deaths will occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Since its founding in 1996, Grounds for Health has screened more than 53,000 and treated more than 3,200 women living in coffee growing communities in Latin America and Africa. Currently, Grounds for Health supports programs in Ethiopia, Nicaragua and Peru.
“We know there are more than 750 million women in the developing world who would benefit from our life-saving services. Our work with the European coffee community creates a tremendous opportunity to help us reach more of those women,” notes Stallworthy.
