In 2007, La Marzocco, Hemro, and Probat collaborated on Songwa Estates, a 59-hectare farm situated 900 kilometers from Tanzaniaโ€™s capital city of Dar es Salaam. With the non-profit project, the three companies sought to โ€œuplift the quality of life for the community residing near the Songwa plantation in the Mbeya region of Tanzania,โ€ including initiatives like the construction of new wells, school building renovations, building a bridge, and providing financial support for workers during the pandemic.

Now, over 15 years on, La Marzocco and Hemro are continuing the mission started with Songwa Estates with the all-new Hands for Songwa Foundation. The non-government organization seeks to uplift the folks around the Songwa plantation and has a greater freedom to do so.

Announced via press release last week, the Hands for Songwa Foundation, as an independent operation, will be able to better serve their original mission. Along with the ability to receive donations directly, one of the bigger changes in the structure is that the Dar es Salaam-headquarter organization can act autonomously to execute new projects in the region. La Marzocco and Hemro will continue to be involved via financial support, advocacy for ongoing projects, training, and research.

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Hemro CEO Dr. Marcel Lehmann states:

Songwa holds a special place in our hearts, and with the newly established Hands for Songwa Foundation, we’re taking a crucial step to enhance support for the local community. Our inaugural project focuses on empowering women, fostering growth not only in their lives but also in the well-being of their families. Through this foundation, we aim to create positive, lasting impact, reinforcing our commitment to social responsibility and community development in Songwa.

The first initiative for the newly formed Hands for Songwa is the Hisuimbe Project. Starting this year, the three-year project โ€œplaces women in the lead, championing sustainable agro-economic development.โ€ It will help establish a community nursery that will create 3,000 to 4,000 certified coffee plants as well as initiate 100 small coffee plots. The project will also bolster subsistence production in the area with the creation of 100 social gardens along with training and technology transfer. A big part of the Hisuimbe Project is the creation of a legally-recognized entity, comprised of 150 to 200 women from the neighboring villages.

For more information, visit the Hands for Songwa Foundation’s official website.

Zac Cadwaladerย is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas.ย Read more Zac Cadwaladerย on Sprudge.