Tea up for a good cause

American Fitness, July-August, 2004

Late last year, Zawadi African Tea, importers and wholesalers of organic black teas grown by family farmers in the highlands of Kenya, launched the Kenyan AIDS-Orphaned Rescue Campaign, donating a portion of their profits to orphans whose parents have died from HIV/AIDS.

The estimated 1.1 million children orphaned by HIV/AIDS face not only the loss of one or both of their parents and possibly being infected themselves, but are also at an extreme risk of being physically or sexually exploited, neglected and outcast from society. In most cases, they drop out of school and face uncertain, precarious futures.

Zawadi African Tea began in spring 2003 after Robert Kihanya, a native of Kenya, returned from visiting his homeland. "I hadn't been to Kenya since 1996 and was devastated by the number of uncared for children roaming the streets of the capital, Nairobi," says Kihanya. "Now with over one million orphaned children and 800 people a day dying of AIDS in Kenya, it is no wonder so many families and communities I knew growing up have fallen apart. This gnawed at me during my stay and after my return, as I searched for a way to help."

"HIV/AIDS is a national disaster for the people of Kenya--children and adults alike--with almost 14 percent of the population directly affected and many more affected indirectly. In addition to the estimated 1.1 million orphans, other affected individuals include children withdrawn from school to care for sick relatives, children who have become the breadwinners to replace the income of a sick parent and families and communities caring for orphans," says Janet Feldman, director and founder of the Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group (KAIPPG) International, the organization that distributes the donations. "It is heartening that so many individuals have donated their time, effort and financial support to further KAIPPG's mission and now Zawadi African Tea is the first company to offer their support through the ongoing sale of their products. This has immense potential benefits, because even $20 a month can help buy food, clothing and education for an HIV/AIDS orphan or child whose family has been affected by HIV/AIDS and/or poverty."

Zawadi, means "a gift" in Swahili, a name appropriately chosen not only because of the gift Zawadi gives Kenyan children, but it also represents a gift of economic independence to the farmers, who for years have barely made enough money to survive. To find out where you can purchase the tea or buy it online, visit www.zawadiafricantea.com. To learn more about KAIPPG, visit www.kaippg.org.