On March 8-15, Grounds for Health is raising funds to provide women at origin with life-saving health care. Here’s more on the fundraiser and how to help.
BY EMILY JOY MENESES
ONLINE EDITOR
Photos courtesy of Grounds for Health
In preparation for International Women’s Day on March 8, nonprofit Grounds for Health is asking cafés to partake in their annual fundraiser to help prevent cervical cancer amongst women in coffee-producing countries. The fundraiser will take place March 8-15: here’s how your coffee shop can get involved.
The Effects of Cervical Cancer on Rural Communities
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer found in women globally, and, in 2022, the disease led to around 350,000 deaths—most of which were in low- and middle-income countries. The WHO also found that the highest rates of cervical cancer are in sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and Southeast Asia, all of which are home to coffee-producing communities.
Founded in 1996, Grounds for Health is a nonprofit dedicated to giving women at origin access to life-saving health care, with a focus on providing them with cervical cancer screenings. Over the past two decades, the organization has worked with women in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Peru, Tanzania, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
“We want to ensure that the many women in rural areas who have not been vaccinated for HPV will not die from this preventable disease,” shares Grounds for Health Communications Coordinator Sarah Annay. “(This cause) is important to us because we believe in women’s health equity globally. No woman should die of a completely preventable disease in 2025, when the resources and technology are there.”
She also shares how cervical cancer amongst women in underserved countries can have a trickle-down effect in their communities, and why these women may find it difficult to access care. “Women are the backbone of the family, and when there are unnecessary deaths (due to cervical cancer), this leads to economic and social impacts, such as orphaned children and loss of income in the household. It is devastating,” Sarah says. “One difficulty women face in these communities is the stigma of STIs and transmissions. Many (of these) women do not understand the implications of HPV and how it can lead to cervical cancer. Some fear sharing their diagnosis with their husbands or do not want to receive treatment because they are afraid it will affect child-rearing.”
She continues, “Our clinical team provides women-centered education and care to help stop the stigma and provide knowledge to the next generation of women. This includes information around prevention and recommending the HPV vaccine for their children.”
Get Involved: How Your Café Can Help
To help with their cause, Grounds for Health is encouraging café owners to get involved. Last year, 36 shops participated in the fundraiser, and the organization is hoping to double that number this year.
Coffee shops can register on Grounds for Health’s website to partake in the weeklong fundraiser. Upon registering, each café will be signed up to receive a marketing kit with posters, pins, stickers, and more to advertise the fundraiser at their shop.
Each shop can decide for themselves how they want to raise money throughout the fundraising week: by donating a percentage of their sales, hosting an event to raise donations, or using the round-up feature on Toast Tab.
“Coffee shops and roasters are often doing fundraisers throughout the year for Grounds for Health—the goal of Grounds for Health Week is to align these efforts during International Women’s Day and have everyone fundraising together for one week each year,” Sarah says. “This is how we achieve a bigger impact.”
For more information prior to signing up, please contact Sarah Annay of Grounds for Health at sarah@groundsforhealth.org.
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