Idulgashinna Bio Tea Garden
Purpose
The objective of the Idulgashinna Bio Tea Garden is to improve the lives of both tea farmers who work in the tea gardens, and their families.
Producers
This group is comprised of 71 staff working in social development in a range of areas such as health, education, womens programmes and community development. These staff work for a total population of 2,372 people involved in the tea gardens.
Benefits
The plantation has its own schools, bank and medical centres. Newly constructed housing is spacious and residents are given the rare opportunity to own their own land. There are 71 staff employed by the project to implement social development; they also work on such enhancements as improvements to roading, electricity supply, sanitation, water access and nutrition.
There is also a village integration programme which aims to ensure better communication and contact between Tamils and the majority (Sinhalese) local population; most Tamil tea labourers were brought in by British estate owners in the 19th century under indentured labour schemes, and they have not integrated easily into Sri Lankan society. The project also challenges traditional perceptions by promoting women to positions of authority, which is still very unusual in a male-dominated industry.
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