Colombia Coffee for Clean Water 2026 Update

Safe, clean drinking water is a human right, yet many families across Colombia still don't have access to it. Currently, around 1.6 million people in rural Colombia lack access to clean, safe water. Thanks to roasters who purchased our Colombian Sucafina Originals in 2025 – Bochica, Huitaca and Tumbaga – 230 students and staff across two rural schools in La Plata, Huila now have access to safer sanitation and clean drinking water. 

La Plata sits in Huila, a region that has become such a powerhouse of coffee production in recent years that it's now known as the "New Coffee Axis." Students and staff at Institución Educativa Villa de los Andes in Alto Rico and Institución Educativa El Carmelo in Alto Cañada had long dealt with untreated water and bathroom facilities in poor condition, including a broken septic system. The result was frequent illness and skin infections among the students and community members who relied on this water and these facilities every day. 

Thanks to our Beyond Flagship Coffee for Clean Water program, and a strong partnership with Global Café and Local Partners, that's changed. 

The project centered on installing a new septic system to meet the community's sanitation needs and rehabilitating bathroom facilities across both schools. Two water filtration units were also installed to ensure safe drinking water and 230 school kits were distributed to support student learning. Work began in February 2026, with the inauguration held in May 2026. 
 

 
Project Impact: 

• 230 students and staff across both schools now benefit from improved sanitation and access to clean drinking water. 
• Water filtration units reduce the risk of waterborne illness by enabling daily access to safe drinking water at school. 
• Rehabilitated bathroom facilities improve hygiene and reduce health risks tied to unsanitary conditions. 
• School kits support student engagement and access to essential learning materials. 
• The project strengthens well-being across surrounding coffee-growing communities, linking basic services with more sustainable living conditions. 
  

"Having clean drinking water for our children (...) improves their health and means fewer illnesses for them. I'm very grateful because this is a truly important investment."

Liliana Galíndez, Student's Mother

This project was made possible through the combined support of Global Café, Local Partners and the La Plata mayor's office. The total cost of the project was about $24,000 USD, of which $20,000 was financed through IMPACT Beyond Flagship funding. It reflects a shared commitment to bringing the same investment and impact to more coffee-growing communities across the region. 

Next Steps: 

• The schools and communities will manage day-to-day upkeep of the new facilities. 
• Global Café and Local Partners will continue monitoring and support on the ground. 
• Sucafina will keep investing in Coffee for Clean Water projects across Colombia's coffee-growing regions. 

Global Café is a Colombian coffee-exporting cooperative dedicated to sustainable practices and supporting local coffee-growing communities. Sucafina's on-the-ground partner in Colombia, Local Partners, is a Colombia-based non-profit organization that develops and implements sustainable initiatives for the coffee sector. 

About Beyond Flagship projects

Beyond Flagship Projects are initiatives linked to IMPACT-verified farmer groups within Sucafina’s direct supply chains. These projects are designed to offer partners a flexible way to support IMPACT goals, create measurable impact and drive meaningful change at contribution levels below the typical minimum threshold for full project sponsorship.

Investments are made through a premium and do not need to be tied directly to coffee produced by the project’s participating farmers. Instead, support is Origin-specific – for example, purchasing Beyond Flagship contributing coffees from Colombia enables investment in Colombia-based IMPACT Beyond projects. This approach increases flexibility, expands the potential for impact at scale and supports more consistent data collection and reporting across supply chains.