Supporting Tea Estate Workers
Since 2021, WE Sri Lanka has
been actively involved in providing
essential dry ration donations to the most
vulnerable families within the tea
plantation communities. This initiative was
launched in response to the worsening
economic crisis, which left numerous
families grappling with the challenge of
affording basic food necessities. Over time,
our organisation has come to recognise the
fundamental importance of food security as
a basic human need that must be met
before other needs can be effectively
addressed.
Mission
To provide regular essential food relief to the tea estate’s most neediest families.
About the Tea Estate Community
Despite Ceylon Tea being world renowned, the Tea Estate worker community, the vast majority of whom are women remains one of the most socially, politically and economically deprived and outcast in Sri Lanka.
Structural discrimination and historical marginalisation arising from their previous statelessness status maintains distancing from the state and dependency on and exploitation by their employers, the plantation companies.
Consequently, this population is profoundly affected by poverty, hunger, poor health, lack of access to education and gender inequality; all factors which have been further devastated by the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka, resulting in increasing hunger and destitution
Future plans and vision
While legislative changes are urgently required to enhance the wages and working conditions of tea estate workers, WE Sri Lanka aspires to play a pivotal role in advocating for this marginalised community.
