ECOM Foundation

In 2006, ECOM Foundation was founded as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization for the purpose of making a better life for the producers of coffee, cotton, cocoa and other soft commodities.
The ECOM Foundation supports projects which contribute to a better quality of life within communities by integrating social, health, education and environmental concerns. It is committed to long term sustainability that will provide a permanent change in producing communities.

This is why in 2011, the Satellite School program was launched in El Salvador to construct computer rooms, equipped with the tools to educate students in rural communities. This work is vital for the future of coffee-producing communities throughout the country.
Thanks to the foundation’s support, there are now three Satellite Schools with three more in the early planning stages. Computer rooms and teachers are funded by the ECOM foundation and have successfully incorporated computer education into the students’ curriculum. The Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey in Mexico provides the platform for the remote learning classes the students take.

With these advances, the students are eager to learn more and continue their education, and work towards careers within their communities. The ECOM Foundation therefore plays an important role in our Group-wide commitment to improving farmer and worker livelihoods, which also positively affects their communities.

The nonprofit, BasicNeeds, transforms the lives of people experiencing mental health problems in the world’s poorest communities. 80% of people facing mental health problems live in developing countries, where fewer than 1 in 5 get any treatment. Many endure prejudice and abuse and are prevented from exercising choice, pursuing opportunities and planning for the future. BasicNeeds works with local communities in Africa and Asia to tackle stigma, improve access to treatment and support, and provide opportunities for people experiencing mental illness so that they can return to work or continue their education and fulfil their potential.
The Agricultural Resilience & Inclusive Program created by BasicNeeds in Bungoma County, Kenya is supported by the ECOM Foundation to grow coffee and alternative crops to enhance sustainable farming in response to climate change, and to address the social and mental health of the community through educational programs and group activities such as brick making and poultry farming projects.

The ECOM Foundation supports Grounds for Health...

La Esquilita School, Chiapas, Mexico
CONSTRUCTION REPORT & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
We realized we had stumbled into a unique opportunity and thus gathered the community to implement our “Stretch the Budget” initiative. Together with the community we came up with a stretch goal of saving enough money, through the donation of time and work, not only to complete the project on budget, but save enough money to build a computer lab & library. The community did their job and inspired the ECOM team in Mexico and strategic partners to also pitch in, and by leveraging on our relations, we were able to significantly stretch the budget. Besides the original scope of the project, we managed to:

Congratulations on the inauguration of the La Esquilita School on May 1st in Chaipas, Mexico. The ECOM Foundation is so very proud to provide funding for this community effort in building the school, the activity center and the library.