Ajiri Foundation: Tea For a Great Cause

Ajiri Tea, 2015

The Talking Teacup

Image: By Amanda Chain

Given the recent events that took place in Kenya, I found this post poignant to talk about a company that is attempting to change the way we think of philanthropy. Yesterday I went for afternoon tea at the lovely Talking Teacup in Chalfont, PA. Apart from a vast selection of teas, the shop held a tea company that caught my eye.

Ajiri Tea is an award winning tea and coffee company that is aimed at sustainable development. "Ajiri" in Kenyan means "employ" in Swahili, and what they aim to do is just that. Their goal is to create employment for women in Kenya and educate orphans in their communities. Everything about the tea is produced by Kenyan women: the design of the box labels, beads, and twines, to the hand picked tea transforms Ajiri into a product that directly helps the communities because 100% of proceeds support the five different women's groups involved in the creation of the Ajiri Tea Company.

For tea enthusiasts, this Black Tea has a copper color that is rich and strong in flavor. My favorite is the Black Tea with Ginger, I find that the ginger adds a complimentary hint of spice. The tea is produced at the Rainforest Alliance Certified Nyansiongo Tea Factory, a cooperative owned by local small-scale farmers. The tea is grown on fertile volcanic soil that adds to the strength of the tea leaves. The company believes that handpicking the tea ensures that it is of the highest quality of tea.

Ajiri Foundation returns 100% of the Ajiri Tea Company's net profits after taxes are returned to the Kisii community through the Ajiri Foundation. This not-for profit was set up with the goal to provide educational assistance to orphans of western Kenya. The driving force has been the devestated left by the communities after HIV/AIDS leaving many homes parentless. Often children are left without a means to attend schooling and this foundation managed to sponsor 26 students in 2013 and the number only continues to grow. This is certainly a company to watch, and a company worth your support as education in Kenya is an issue on the forefront at the moment.