I had the pleasure of interviewing Sara Holby, the co-founder of Ajiri Tea, at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, NV recently. Sara's passion for helping women and orphans in Kenya is admirable. The companies name means "to employ" in Swahili.
The company employs 63 local women to hand make labels, beads and string from banana bark and magazines that will then be assembled in the US on an Ajiri Tea Box. Each label is unique in its design but carries the same thematic ideas on each box.
100% of the profits from the tea go back to sending orphans to school. Primary school is free in Kenya but supplies and books still must be purchased to attend. Past primary education families must bear the burden of paying to send the children to schools or borading schools. Fees range from roughly $300-$800 per child. Thus far the compay has sent 6 children to school.
The mission of Ajiri Tea: "To create employment for women in western Kenya and to educate orphans in their communities. Through the sale of this delicious black tea, we aim to form a sustainable cycle of community employment and education."
The tea is processed in sustainable ways with small scale farmers at a Rainforest Alliance Certified Processing Facility. Sara hopes to help the Kenyan tea industry grow as well which will help to give back to the community in yet another way.
In addition to Sara, she partnered with her mother, Ann and a Kenyan colleague, Nick to create their company. Nick helps to ensure the quality of the products and to pay the children's school fees. These are just a few of children whose lives will be changed by the gift Ajiri Tea has afforded them.
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