Tea Community Welfare Programme

SEWA has been working in Upper Assam since 2000 in collaboration with several international aid agencies and companies like Starbucks, Twinings, Steven Smith Tea Maker, Mercy Corps, Gvie2Asia, and BSR for the socio-economic development of the tea community and peripheral communities of upper Assam districts.

SEWA has successfully implemented a number of projects over the last decade, including the SEWA Starbucks Project, the CHAI Project, the School Education Retention Programme, the Assam Health Assessment, the WEL Project, the Fuel Efficiency Stove – Clean Cook Stove in Assam Tea Estate, and others.

These projects are implemented for the welfare of tea plantation workers with the following key objectives:

  1. Identify and promote viable micro- and small-business opportunities that provide employment and income generation for thousands of unemployed and underemployed people in Tea and periphery communities.
  2. Apprenticeships and skill-building training expanded youth employment opportunities.
  3. Students continue their education with remedial classes and access scholarship support.
  4. Free distribution of clean cook stoves
  5. Adult education programme for women workers
  6. environment-friendly and fuel-efficient cook stove
  7. Community leadership council in tea estates

Key initiatives

The initiative helps tea plantation workers’ students continue their education, positioning them for success in school and in employment. This was implemented through free coaching classes for students in grades IX and X, as well as scholarships for higher education.

The initiative has increased employment opportunities for tea community youth through skill-building trainings and apprenticeships.

The initiative has increased tea plantation workers’ access to and usage of financial services and allowed them to establish viable microenterprises, improving employment and income generation opportunities.

Through Community Leadership Councils (CLC), SEWA facilitates interaction between tea estates and peripheral communities, as well as local panchayat bodies, in local development programmes.