Tea Garden Areas

Prochesta’s operational areas include tea garden communities where workers and their families often face challenges related to education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities, housing, access to public services, and social inclusion. With its longstanding engagement and established credibility among local communities, Prochesta is committed to supporting tea garden workers and their families in improving their quality of life while respecting their cultural identity, traditions, and dignity. Prochesta seeks to strengthen community participation, promote equitable access to essential services, and facilitate constructive engagement between tea garden communities, tea garden management, and relevant government institutions.

Goal: Prochesta is an aide to tea garden communities in their efforts to achieve dignified livelihoods, quality education, equitable access to essential services, and social justice while preserving their culture, identity, and traditions.

Strategies

• Advocate for quality primary education, Early Childhood Development (ECD), and improved educational facilities for tea garden children.
• Promote equitable access to healthcare, nutrition, safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
• Support tea garden workers and their families in accessing government services, social protection programmes, and their legal rights.
• Strengthen the capacity of community organizations, youth groups, and women’s groups to engage in advocacy and community development.
• Promote alternative livelihood opportunities, skills development, and income-generating activities for tea garden households.
• Advocate for improved living conditions, worker welfare, and access to essential services in tea garden communities.
• Promote gender equality, women’s empowerment, child protection, and inclusive participation in local decision-making.
• Utilize social accountability approaches through community mobilization and collective action to improve service delivery.
• Strengthen partnerships and coordination with tea garden management, government institutions, NGOs, and development partners.

Actions to be Undertaken

Education and Early Childhood Development

• Advocate for quality primary education and improved educational facilities for tea garden children.
• Continue and strengthen Early Childhood Development (ECD) and pre-primary education initiatives.
• Promote child-friendly and inclusive learning environments in tea garden schools.
• Support improved teaching-learning materials and capacity development for teachers.
• Organize community awareness activities to encourage school enrolment, attendance, and completion.
• Utilize social accountability approaches to advocate for adequate teachers, educational resources, and improved school facilities.
• Promote girls’ education and equal educational opportunities for boys and girls.

WATSAN and Public Health

• Promote access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in tea garden communities.
• Support community-based initiatives for water supply, conservation, and improved sanitation.
• Organize health awareness activities on nutrition, maternal and child health, hygiene, and preventive healthcare.
• Facilitate access to public health services through community mobilization and engagement with relevant authorities.
• Promote improved healthcare facilities and services for tea garden workers and their families.
• Encourage community participation in identifying and addressing water, sanitation, and health-related challenges.

Livelihood Development and Economic Empowerment

• Promote alternative livelihood opportunities for tea garden workers and their families.
• Support skills development and vocational training for youth and women.
• Encourage small entrepreneurship, agricultural activities, and income-generating initiatives.
• Facilitate access to government livelihood support and social protection programmes.
• Strengthen community capacity to identify and utilize local economic opportunities.
• Promote financial awareness and sustainable livelihood practices to improve household income and resilience.

Advocacy for Workers’ Rights and Social Protection

• Promote awareness of labour rights, legal entitlements, and social protection services among tea garden workers.
• Advocate for improved working conditions, fair treatment, and access to essential welfare services.
• Facilitate access to legal assistance and relevant government services where necessary.
• Promote dialogue and coordination between tea garden workers, management, local authorities, and relevant stakeholders.
• Utilize social accountability approaches to address service delivery gaps and community concerns.
• Advocate for improved housing, healthcare, education, and other essential services for tea garden families.

Gender Equality and Child Protection

• Promote women’s empowerment, gender equality, and leadership within tea garden communities.
• Organize awareness activities on child rights, child protection, and prevention of child marriage.
• Encourage girls’ participation in education, leadership, and community development initiatives.
• Strengthen community-based child protection mechanisms.
• Support women and adolescent girls in accessing education, healthcare, social protection, and livelihood opportunities.

Community Mobilization and Cultural Preservation

• Establish and strengthen community organizations, youth groups, and women’s groups in tea garden areas.
• Promote community participation in local development planning and decision-making.
• Encourage the preservation of cultural identity, traditions, and indigenous knowledge.
• Facilitate dialogue and collaboration between tea garden communities, management, and local authorities.
• Promote social cohesion, mutual respect, and inclusive community development.
• Strengthen networking and partnerships with organizations working for the rights and welfare of tea garden communities.

Current and Completed Projects