Fairtrade Story: Saraswathy

Saraswathy’s family are from Dunsandle. She lives on the estate with her husband, who works in the tea factory, and two children aged 13 and eight. Her sister also works on the estate.

She has been working on the estate for ten years.

Saraswathy is very positive about the benefits she has received from the Fairtrade Premium. ‘There is a Fairtrade Premium Committee that works for the workers. The money given as Premium is given… for work that is done in the field.’

Saraswathy has received items for her kitchen from the Fairtrade Premium funds, including a flask and a fridge. The fridge has helped them to reduce the amount of food that gets wasted and saves her time and money as she has to make fewer trips to the market. She has also received a Fairtrade Premium-funded raincoat to protect her while working in the rainy season.

Saraswathy has been on the Sexual Harassment Committee at Dunsandle since April 2018. She feels it is very important to have this committee in place, ‘it is like a protection for the women workers. If there is any problem on the work side then they know how to deal with it.’ She says that the fact that there is a committee means that ‘women are confident to come and reach out if there is an issue.’