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Archive News from Kawalazi Tea Plantation Project - June 2007

General

The Kawalazi Estate welcomes the association with FLAVIA and Mars Drinks in supporting the sustainable development projects and the creation of Malawi Garden™ tea.

Weather and crops

Kawalazi is at an elevation of 600 m above sea level and receive an annual rainfall of approximately 1600 mm from November to May. Winter sets in from June to August followed by a short spring and then summer in October to February. This year the rains have been good from January to May. June has been dryer than normal. The tea crop has been higher and this has created more employment. The community around Kawalazi harvested a good crop of maize and now have Cassava and Beans in the ground. Those farmers that grow tobacco also realized good prices for their crop, as the auction floor prices are high.

Social Responsibility

Kawalazi has a number of community development projects in progress ranging from water supply improvement, school building and the forestry programme. This month eucalyptus seedlings were distributed to the farmers and planting deforested areas was carried out. Deforestation is indeed a big problem in Malawi and has a huge environmental impact.

With Mars Drinks supporting a sustainable development project for the local community, Kawalazi will expand the Forest Participatory Project to an annual supply of 120,000 seedlings to plant 60 hectares. The support for the Clinic Laboratory project will enhance the current facility and make it possible for testing for diseases like Cholera, Hepatitis and Typhoid. Voluntary HIV/AIDS Testing and blood grouping will then be possible for the plantation employees and the surrounding community.

Focus on Samalani Satiel Maseko

The Kawalazi Plantations have been benefiting the local community in many ways directly and indirectly. From the time when the plantation started people from all over Malawi came to Kawalazi in search of employment. One such life story is of Mr. Samalani Satiel Maseko.

Samalani Satiel Maseko comes from the Central Region of Dedza and started work in May 1986 as a tea plucker. His life in business started when he gave his month earnings to his wife to start buying Cassava, bananas and baking scones for sale within the estate. When they accumulated a sum of MK. 20,000/-, they started a small grocery operating from their house given to him by the Company.

He continued working whilst his wife was managing the business until 2001 when he decided to build his own shop at The Kavuzi Trading Centre adjacent to the estate and he left employment to concentrate on his business. Now he is a proud and prosperous business man who's capital has grown up MK6, 000,000/-, and has a well managed rice farm producing over 1000 kgs of rice per season.

He intends to buy a vehicle because his business turnover is very encouraging and one of his daughter is form 2. He and his wife have four children, one boy and three girls and they wish to make a living in this region.

The Trading Name of his Enterprise is “AMBUYE MWANDICHITIRA ZAZIKULU” translated in English it means (LORD YOU HAVE DONE MIRACLES FOR ME)

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