Charlotte Fleming from Ballina, Co Mayo has travelled to Kenya and visited the Lyons Tea plantation, the first tea plantation in the world to earn Rainforest Alliance certification, meeting comprehensive environmental and social standards.
Lyons Tea and the Rainforest Alliance, an independent, international conservation organisation, have embarked on a journey, working together to develop and promote sustainable standards in forestry, farming and tourism at their tea plantations in Kenya. To celebrate this exciting partnership, Lyons Tea offered one lucky listener of the Ray D’Arcy show on Today FM the chance to experience life at the Lyons Tea Plantation in Kericho. Mayo woman Charlotte was the winner and had the opportunity to see how the Rainforest Alliance certification has impacted life for the plantation workers.
Staying in the guest houses on the Unilever plantation, Charlotte got the opportunity to learn about tea growing, meet with employees, and see the tea making process at the local Unilever factory. She even had an opportunity to pick her own tea leaves whilst there, learning first hand exactly what it’s like for the thousands of employees of the Lyons Tea Plantation in Kenya. Before leaving, Charlotte planted a tree named in her honour in the gardens of the staff centre to mark the occasion of her visit. Her trip to Kericho was followed by a fantastic Masai Mara safari and sightseeing in Nairobi to round up her African experience.
“We had a fantastic time in Kericho and all the staff made us feel right at home,” Charlotte said. “The highlight for me was meeting some of the people who work for Unilever, especially Irene and Carol, our tour guides for the day. They were so passionate about their work and the value of their jobs, which really brought home to me the great work being done by Lyons Tea and the Rainforest Alliance in the region.” She continued: “The atmosphere was very jovial and I felt like it was a great place to work, as Kericho itself is a very poor place. The conditions in the factory for the workers was very good, it didn’t seem any different to a factory in Ireland, which was a really refreshing insight for me.”
Lyons Tea has committed to working with the Rainforest Alliance, an independent, international conservation organisation with 20 years of experience in developing and promoting sustainable standards in forestry, farming and tourism. Half of the supply for Lyons Tea Original Blend tea bags in Ireland now comes from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ plantations and this commitment will enable the long-term preservation of the tea plantations for future generations to work on, enjoy and benefit from.
At the Lyons Tea estate in Kericho, Kenya, free housing for workers and their families, free nursery and primary school education for their children, and employee welfare services such as clean water supplies, health centres and hospitals are provided. There are also strict guidelines on areas such as pest management, tree planting, and use of renewable sources, to ensure the long and sustainable life of the plantation.
