SEATTLE, Washington — What makes the beverage project Lemonaid and ChariTea stand out is its mission to support and fund economic development opportunities in developing nations. With a portion of all Lemonaid and ChariTea sales going towards new humanitarian projects across the globe, this organization is showing how “drinking helps.”
How Lemonaid and ChariTea Started
In the winter of 2008, a group of motivated, change-seeking people created the organization Lemonaid and ChariTea. They quit their jobs and went straight into the kitchen to test for new flavors and inspiration. The ingredients of the fruit drinks are all Fairtrade, which fights for fair farming and pay opportunities for farmers. Just in making the products, the organization is already supporting farmers throughout the world.
The founders of the Lemonaid and ChariTea organization wanted to do more to help those with unstable economic conditions but in the right way. They believe that to help those in foreign countries, it needs to be left to the very people who understand the complexities of the country’s social and economic systems – the locals. By empowering them with resources to make a change, people could do just that.
Specific projects are personally selected and supported by the team at Lemonaid and ChariTea. Individuals from places such as Sri Lanka, Rwanda and Argentina, have approached the organization with ideas for innovation and entrepreneurship within their home regions. After receiving proposals, the team travels personally to see firsthand the strategy and process behind these projects. Various projects have already seen success through social, economic and ecological endeavors.
Empowering the Batwa in Rwanda
In Africa, Lemonaid and ChariTea have supported projects to help marginalized groups. In Rwanda, 75% of people are employed in agriculture but land is scarce and deforestation has led to further land loss. Consequently, as more people have sought land, indigenous groups, such as the Batwa, have lost their homes and livelihoods. To support themselves, they switched to ceramic production.
As a marginalized group in Rwanda, the Batwa lack education and practical training on craftsmanship. The AIMPO, a local NGO, has sought to change that by providing ceramic training opportunities to modernize and solidify their techniques. With sufficient know-how and funding, the Batwa can increase the efficiency of their ceramics production. Also, AIMPO encourages local Rwandans across the country to purchase the products. A whole 184 families from the Batwa will benefit from these educational efforts.
Lemonaid and ChariTea have supported AIMPO in its mission to educate the marginalized Batwa population. By providing resources for a new ceramics center with a new kiln oven and supplemental training, the organization shows its passion for empowering the impoverished.
Helping People in Sri Lanka
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, through supporting the PEaCE organization’s efforts, Lemonaid and ChariTea have been fighting for children’s rights and protections. With crushing social inequality and a lack of economic opportunities, many children in Sri Lanka are lured into situations of child prostitution, pornography and child trafficking.
The project Protecting Environment and Children Everywhere (PEaCE) fights against these crimes by establishing protections for children, providing better opportunities for them and increasing financial resources for social issues. This organization is vital for the well-being of Sri Lankan children. In 2015, when its future was threatened because of a lack of financial support, the Lemonaid and ChariTea organization stepped up to secure funding for years to come.
Helping Through Honey in Latin America
In Latin America, Lemonaid and ChariTea provided funding for projects like “El Buen Socio,” an organization that supports local cooperatives in their honey cultivation. In Chiapas, a southern state of Mexico where approximately seven out of 10 people live in poverty, honey can provide income for many struggling families. El Buen Socio aims to educate cultivators on managing honey production while also providing loans and supporting the purchase of their products on a national scale.
With El Buen Socio and the help of Lemonaid and ChariTea, honey production has become more efficient, farmers are better at managing finances and their organic products are more desirable in the markets.
Overall Impact of Lemonaid and ChariTea
Since its inception in 2008, the organization has had significant success that has directly reverberated into communities worldwide. Over four million Euros have been raised in efforts to implement sustainable economic development programs in developing countries.
With both Fairtrade ingredients in its fruit drinks and considerable portions of profits funding new projects throughout the world, this is a prime example of a company doing impactful work.
The Lemonaid and ChariTea organization has achieved noticeable success while helping others in the process. Through its variety of fruit and tea drinks, the organization is creating and promoting change in numerous countries around the world. With a memorable slogan that “drinking helps,” the Lemonaid and ChariTea organization will undoubtedly continue implementing and supporting positive change worldwide.
– Eliza Cochran
Photo: Flickr