In June 2019, a nonprofit and a certified B Corporation, both based in Rohnert Park, Ca., partnered to improve the lives of 1,437 children in rural Tanzania.
Global Partners for Development and World Centric are taking direct action to address some of the big, tangible problems in the world – lack of clean water, low-quality education, poor access to health care, environmental degradation, etc. While there are many organizations that do similar work, these two entities, from the heart of California wine country, recognize that the ‘how’ is just as important as the ‘what’.
Since 2009, World Centric has given at least 25% of its profits to support projects around the world that promote social and economic development, environmental education, and waste reduction. This year the company will be giving $1,106,127 through cash donations to projects around the world focused on providing basic needs for communities experiencing extreme poverty.
Global Partners became one such partner this year. Global Partners operates a program called Community-Driven Education (CDE) that engages whole communities in using local assets to solve problems that affect the ability of young children to learn. Through this program, 410 community members gathered at facilitated meetings over seven months and identified the construction of additional classrooms and new teacher housing as their projects.
“Every community is different,” said Amy Holter, Director of Programs & Evaluation. “We support communities in using their own resources, as well as inputs from partners like World Centric, to give their children what they need to succeed.”
At a time when globalization can be daunting and world challenges overwhelming, World Centric and Global Partners believe that local partnerships are still the most effective at inciting change, even on a global scale.
“We believe that projects addressing poverty are not sustainable without local ownership and community participation.” said Janae Lloyd, Director of Impact at World Centric. “Our work with Global Partners not only provides direct relief but helps create systems change at the root of the issues.”