Starbucks pumps in 5 million yuan for women empowerment in Kunming

On Thursday, ahead of International Women's Day, Starbucks unveiled its latest philanthropic initiative in Kunming, Yunnan province, marking an upgrade to its six-year rural women's empowerment program focused on intangible cultural heritage.

Over the next three years, The Beijing Starbucks Foundation will donate 5 million yuan ($690,000) to support the Embroidering for the Future, Discovering Beautiful Yunnan ICH Inheritance and Rural Women's Empowerment Project, in partnership with the Shanghai Pudong New Area Xinhe Shanchuang public welfare development center.

The new phase introduces a "full-chain ICH empowerment" strategy for the first time, addressing key links across the industry chain. Through expert-led field visits, external study tours, and online training, the program will provide comprehensive support in product development, skill enhancement, team management, and cooperative strategy formulation.

The initiative aims to empower 200 female ICH leaders, support 15 ICH teams, and benefit 1,500 ICH practitioners. Designers will also collaborate with artisans to co-create 100 new products.

"Over the past six years, we have had the privilege of working alongside talented rural artisans and their invaluable heritage skills, continuously inspired by their dedication," said Zhu Lei, secretary-general of The Beijing Starbucks Foundation.

"Supporting the sustainable development of Yunnan's ICH industry is an important way to foster rural vitality, aligning with the foundation's broader Thriving Communities strategy. We hope to join hands with more artisans to stitch a brighter future, create artistic beauty, and promote cultural confidence."

Since 2019, Starbucks has launched two phases of the program — the Rural Mom Accelerator Project and Embroidering for the Future — covering 50 crafts and helping more than 2,750 rural women boost their incomes through entrepreneurship and employment. The initiatives have yielded 90 new ICH product designs.

With the latest project, Starbucks' cumulative donations in Yunnan have surpassed 60 million yuan, benefiting over 100,000 people and injecting new vitality into coffee-producing rural communities.