Who We Are
Deep in the highlands of Mexico and El Salvador, across Côte d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Kenya, and out to Papua New Guinea, generations of farmers have grown coffee, cocoa, and cotton using age-old traditions. It is to their painstaking efforts, often carried out in rural and challenging environments, that the ECOM Foundation has long responded with humanitarian support.
The ECOM Foundation, founded in 2006, is a public charity dedicated to improving the lives of producers at origin. We focus on supporting children and youth in coffee, cocoa, and cotton communities where ECOM operates, with projects that strengthen education, healthcare, social services, and environmental practices.
By partnering with local NGOs, charities, corporations, and governments, we work towards lasting sustainability and meaningful, permanent change for rural growers and their families.
Our Mission
❝ To empower farming communities by promoting education, physical and mental health, and creating opportunities for all to thrive. By responding to community needs, we foster a brighter, more equitable future. ❞
Our Values
Integrity - We act in good faith. We take responsibility and are accountable for our actions.
Leadership - We respond to real needs. We lead by staying close, adaptable, and grounded in communities.
Listening - We listen first. We respond to community priorities and real needs.
Joy - We take pride in our work. We bring care, energy, and joy to what we do.
Core Areas
1. Promoting Girls’ Education
The ECOM Foundation supports initiatives that expand access to secondary schooling, creating opportunities for young women to continue their studies and build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.
Working with local organisations, charities, corporations, and local and national governments, we fund satellite computer schools, implement sustainability-focused programs within existing schools, and build traditional schools.
2. Addressing Physical and Mental Health Needs
We support projects that strengthen the well-being of children and young people in producing communities. Our initiatives focus on improving access to essential healthcare services, raising awareness of health challenges, and encouraging practices that promote long-term wellbeing.
By also recognising the importance of mental health, we aim to foster resilience and create safer, more supportive environments for young people to thrive.
3. Responding to Community Needs
We remain flexible to support opportunities and challenges identified by local communities, partners, and volunteers. These projects can vary from smaller, one-off initiatives to targeted programmes that address urgent local priorities.
By listening closely and responding to community voices, the Foundation ensures its support is relevant, meaningful, and able to create positive impact where it is most needed.
What's New
We are very proud to announce our partnership with Terre des Hommes in 2025. Together, we aim to promote quality education and advocate for children's rights.
This initiative focuses on reducing child labour in coffee-producing sub-counties of Kiambu County, Kenya.
These 10 public schools support 1,250 children and 180 teachers.
In Zeaglo, Côte d’Ivoire, the ECOM Foundation donated school textbooks, teaching materials, and sports equipment — resources that will help strengthen literacy, encourage learning, and support the creation of a school library.
Read more to discover how our partners supported this project and helped make the new school a reality.