Page 2 - Rwagashani Tea Plantation

Rwagashani Tea Plantation sits on
20 acres of land. Tea growing is one
of the major activities of the
Rwagashani Mixed Farm. Started in
2017, the tea plantation aimed to kill
two birds with one stone — firstly, to
provide the community in
Rwagashani with regular parttime
work to boost their family incomes.

Importantly, Rwagashani Tea
Plantation also provides women
with the opportunity to make their
own money. Customarily, many
women as stay home mothers or
housewives or caregivers in
Rwagashani have been limited to
performing women’s traditional
roles or household chores — often,
requiring them to work long hours in
and around the home without pay.

As never before, women working on
the plantation are now in position to
contribute to their own day-to-day
needs and to improve their family’s
quality of life. This has reduced their
dependence on men for almost
everything that costs money. Men,
some of together with their
spouses, also work on the
plantation.

Right from clearing and preparing the land to establish the tea plantation, Rwagashani Mixed
Farm management introduced equal employment opportunity and pay for men and women
seeking work on the tea plantation. At first, men were not happy to be paid the same daily rate as
women. They interpreted the policy as working against men who have traditionally been
associated with the role to work and earn and / or sell things to avail money to meet family needs.
Little did they know that if, for example, a wife and husband worked and were paid equally well
their household income would increase. Previously, the few women who did casual work within
or outside the community were paid less money than men — even when they did same activity
for the same duration. With time, men accepted the change; and are now working happily with
women.

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