DAVIDsTEA opened a new summer C.A.M.P. in collaboration with the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP). The project will support the tea-growing community in Zhejiang, China, one of the regions where DAVIDsTEA sources premium black and green tea bases for some of their top blends. The new project is part of DAVIDsTEA’s commitment to a more sustainable and ethical tea industry.
C.A.M.P. by DAVIDsTEA x Ethical Tea Partnership, which stands for “Child-friendly Areas for Meaningful Positivitea,” provides a safe education space for children of tea farmers and workers who are normally left behind during the summer holidays. There are an estimated 6.44 million “left behind children” in China, according to DAVIDsTEA, and these families often do not spend enough time together, which can have a significant impact on a child’s development.
The regional team at Ethical Tea Partnership identified a need to support childcare and quality education in tea families and communities with effective, scalable and sustainable solutions, particularly during the off-season summer months. Running in the Zhejiang province of China, the new program provides a safe and nurturing environment for children of tea farmers and workers of the area to benefit from these childcare and educational services, while also providing an opportunity for them to bond with their families.
The program’s curriculum includes activities and topics ranging from science and emotional development to mental health awareness and nutrition. Plus, courses are available for caretakers in literacy, health and maternity protection.
The opening ceremony of C.A.M.P. by DAVIDsTEA x Ethical Tea Partnership took place on July 11 at the Zhejiang Kainong Trading Co. facility, where C.A.M.P. is being hosted. The ceremony was attended by the regional Ethical Tea Partnership team, along with government officials, the local women’s committee and UNICEF China.
This is the first project in the agricultural sector that UNICEF China has been involved in.
“While China has made big strides to reach the Sustainable Development Goals to improve overall quality education and decent work and economic growth, there is much more work that needs to be done on child rights and protection, especially when we refer to those six million left behind children,” said Dr. Xing Ma, regional director (East Asia) of the Ethical Tea Partnership. “We know that providing a nurturing and secure environment to encourage parent and child bonding will have positive outcomes. We are interested in utilizing the findings from this initiative to see how we can develop other projects and programs that put families at their core.”
Working with the Ethical Tea Partnership
DAVIDsTEA has been a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership since 2020. With the aim to drive forward long-term, systemic change across three thematic areas in the tea industry – economics, equality and environment – ETP's work improves the progress that is being made towards attaining the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals in tea-growing regions.
“The wellbeing of our tea community is a priority for us at DAVIDsTEA,” said Sarah Segal, chief executive officer and chief brand officer at DAVIDsTEA. “We are immensely proud to bring this project to life alongside the ETP and Zhejiang Kainong Trading Company. We are passionate about connecting with our partners and tea growing regions around the world, and are thrilled that C.A.M.P. is providing a safe and nurturing educational environment where children of tea farmers in Zhejiang, where we source our tea, can bond with their families.”
To learn more about DAVIDsTEA, visit DavidsTea.com or visit one of their 18 flagship locations across Canada.
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