The Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation commenced funding for The Sambol Foundation in 2021.
The Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation commenced funding for The Sambol Foundation in 2021.
The Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation commenced funding for DERMAC in 2022.
The Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation has been supporting Rwandan Business Incubator, "Hand in Hand", since 2019.
From 2019 to 2021, the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation embarked on a collaborative journey with the Rwandan organisation Hand in Hand for Development, focusing on building alternative financing models and promoting start-up and business creation. The success of this three-year partnership has led to the extension of our commitment for another three years.
Since its establishment in 2016, Hand in Hand has set ambitious goals. The first three-year project phase, co-financed by the Foundation, focused on helping community saving groups and cooperatives establish small businesses and startups. In the current second project phase, the organisation is dedicated to promoting agricultural innovations, including the strategic use of greenhouses for cultivating organic potato seeds.
In 2023, the head of the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation, Aileen, visited Hand in Hand to see the organisation's latest projects. Her journey included stops at a sewing cooperative, a loan borrower, and a small shop under construction. She also visited a greenhouse, made possible by the latest grant from the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation. Bags of vermicompost fertiliser, bearing the Foundation's logo, stand in front of the greenhouse. This project focuses on growing worm cultures to produce organic fertiliser and natural pesticides.
In all of Hand in Hand's activities and project ideas, market considerations, opportunities, and potential demand are carefully taken into account. Patient, the founder and director, maintains a great vision and drive to provide tangible future perspectives for the entire community. And it's meetings like these that highlight the importance of on-site project visits by the Lemonaid & Charity Foundation - these encounters enable a deeper understanding of the projects, their progress, and, most importantly, the people driving them.
Behind every project, there are individual, personal stories. Patient's background, influenced by his father's role as a cook in an orphanage, shaped his commitment to doing good and supporting the less privileged. His journey from studying social sciences to initiating social programs with friends reflects his dedication. Towards the end of the day, Aileen visited the grounds of the Imbabazi orphanage, now a garden and museum. Patient shares this part of his history, highlighting its significance in shaping his current commitment. Patient is just one of many visionaries with whom the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation has the privilege to work.
The non-profit organisation “Equality-based Community Support and Training” (ECSAT) has been supported by the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation since 2017.
In Sri Lanka, cultural attitudes towards people with disabilities are challenging, especially in the field of education and employment. Many families with children or relatives with disabilities remain hidden and neglected. The organisation ECSAT focuses on the inclusion and equality of people with disabilities. The programmes which are recognised by the local government include education, vocational training and therapy as well as counselling services. Within the “Transforming Livelihoods and Lives” project, the foundation funded two training and skills-development programmes for people with disabilities and their families in the Galle and Matara regions between 2017 and 2021. In the first funding period, participants were trained in areas like craftwork, gardening and cooking, which gave them the opportunity to generate their own income.
In total, more than 100 young adults with disabilities benefited from this project and their lives and those of their families have been changed significantly. More than 30 people have started to earn money by making products such as cushions, rugs or paper bags. In addition, all participants have improved their social and life skills. ECSAT’s previous experience shows that continuous support for the participants and their families is important even after the programme ends.
Building on experiences and results from the “Transforming Livelihoods and Lives” project the organisation has developed the follow-up project “Making Ends Meet” . The project continues to promote social entrepreneurship and income generating opportunities for young adults with disabilities. Participants which were already trained in the first funding period are now employed as teaching assistants and remain part of the project.
Current Challenges in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka was not only severely affected by the covid pandemic but has gone through intense political turmoil. As a consequence the country has been facing a financial crisis since March 2022, with shortages of fuel, gas and food, and temporary power cuts. Public transport is limited and transport costs are high. As a result of reduced attendance at face-to-face workshops, ECSAT offered online courses and maintained personal contact with participants through home visits during this difficult time. With the support of ECSAT, some participants were still able to generate their own income, for example by opening their own vegetable shop or selling paper cards.
In Darjeeling, a group of women were given the opportunity to improve their agricultural production and market their products online
Society, Justice, Opportunity
The name SOCEO is composed of the words “Society, Equity, Opportunity”. In this context, it is a certain approach that makes the company so special: the development and use of the Sustainable Livelihood Development Program (SLDP). SOCEO India uses this framework to assist other NGOs, in particular as consultants, and conduct research on sustainable development cooperation through proper monitoring and evaluation.
Agricultural Products Alone are not Enough
Usually, women and families do not have the opportunity to further process their crops, which would increase the value of their produce. In addition, the yields are often too small to earn a sufficient salary. Thus, the sale of domestically grown produce is not really profitable. Recognising this, the women from the region independently took action, coming together in collectives to grow crops more efficiently and sell their bundled produce on local markets. This exemplifies the beginnings of sustainable entrepreneurship.
Unfortunately however, the inability to further process and refine goods still existed, largely due to inadequate logistics and limited access to other market channels. In order to survive, it was thus still necessary to sell to producers cheaply, who in turn resell the goods at disproportionately higher prices after further processing. Therefore, in order to be able to operate sustainably and establish a livelihood for themselves, these women needed to take the processing of agricultural products into their own hands. In a nutshell: they needed premises, machinery and know-how.
Information and Technology are the Key
The women in the region have showcased their entrepreneurial spirit, however needed to connect with organisations for further resources. This is where SOCEO stepped in, not only organising capital for machines such as rice and spice mills, but also providing the farmers with the infrastructure needed to sell their products more broadly.
SOCEO uses the online platform and App Amar Khamar for this purpose, which distributes regional products and gives them a face. After a two-month training course on agriculture and e-commerce, each farmer knows how to link agriculture with entrepreneurial activities, such as selling their products online.
SOCEO also sets up online sales hubs, such as the one done in collaboration with the Madhovita Farming Collective. This hub functions as a logistics and distribution centre, with eight women from the cooperative working there. To fulfil this role, they received additional training in all the necessary processes. The project also includes other training courses, for example: machine maintenance, servicing and operation.
Creating Entrepreneurial Perspectives in One Year
SOCEO undertakes the responsibility of evaluating the entire project. Methodically, they collect data at the beginning and end. The initial aim is to determine the social and economic conditions in the daily lives of women farmers in order to identify their needs. One year from each project, they determine how significant the improvement is.
With the support of Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation, the cooperative covers almost the entire costs of the various training courses. The costs for construction and the establishment of the e-commerce hub, as well as the machines and the studies at the beginning and end of the project are also covered. In the long run, parts of the income and proceeds generated by the project return to the cooperative, thus securing the long-term existence of the newly formed business.
Through entrepreneurship, adapted to the social, economic and ecological conditions, communities are strengthened. While SOCEO and the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation are providing the initial funding, the project will secure a sustainable income for the women of the Madhovita Cooperative and thus guarantee the continued existence of the business.
South Africa is home to the famous rooibos tea. However, many people in the Suid Bokkeveld growing region have to manage without electricity.
During the Apartheid era, rights to grow and sell rooibos tea were exclusively enjoyed by white farmers. But in 2001, a game-changer happened: 14 smallholders from Suid Bokkelveld formed the Heiveld Cooperative, breaking barriers. Even today, Heiveld, along with a neighbouring cooperative, stands as a unique symbol of collaboration between groups previously labelled as "coloured".
Despite this progress, Suid Bokkeveld faces challenges. For example, the area is still not connected to the national power grid, thus necessitating the use of generators, candles, and firelight for basics.
This is where the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation has stepped in. We teamed up with "Indigo Development & Change" to create a solar energy system that's simple to use and maintain.
Beginning with the installation of solar systems in 20 households, homes were brightened and communications tools unlocked, especially for the area's youth. By further training local "Para Solar Engineers" to conduct repairs on the systems, this eco-friendly solution has not only cut risks of fires in the dry season, but also provides safe, affordable electricity to the community.
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Back in 2009 we started our #drinkinghelps revolution in Hamburg, Germany. Our goal was to challenge the corporate soft drinks giants, dominating the market with their artificial, unhealthy and unethical range of fizzy pops. Instead of maximising shareholder value, we wanted to find new ways of supporting the workers along our supply chain; from the tea growers in Sri Lanka to the smallholder passion fruit farmers in Peru.
That’s why our range of soft drinks supports Fairtrade and sustainable, organic methods of agriculture. What’s more, 5p from every bottle sold goes to the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation, with over £7 million raised for social projects in the growing regions to date. You can find out more about the work of our Foundation here. Oh, and you will be able see for yourself - because every year, we pack our backpacks and go on project trips to meet the growers and our project partners, like the Heiveld Cooperative in South Africa.
Type: Full-Time (40 hours/week) | Location: London & Neighbouring Counties | Start Date: March/April 2024
We are looking for a full-time sales and relationship superstar to help spread our social mission across London from the start of 2024. Are you an outgoing and extrovert self-starter with a can-do attitude and drive to help grow our ethical soft drinks brand? Then do apply to join us on our mission, with an energetic team of colleagues and a healthy work-life balance and no regular weekend or evening shifts.
Since our humble beginnings in Germany, our team of global game changers has grown to 110+ and now spans across eight countries. We’re currently a team of seven in the UK, responsible for sales and marketing of Lemonaid & ChariTea across the country. With a fast post-pandemic-growth, we need more hands on deck to help win and look after business in and around London.
YOUR ROLE
Your main responsibilities & what your role entails
Win new Lemonaid & ChariTea business
Build and develop relationships with key customers
Make the brand ‘pop’ in store so that EVERYONE is talking about Lemonaid & ChariTea
To always show an eagerness to learn, develop and become a true ambassador of Lemonaid & ChariTea
ABOUT YOU
We’ve told you a little bit about us; now it’s all about you
WHAT WE OFFER YOU
The perks of being a Lemonaider, changing the world one drink at a time
COMPENSATION DETAILS
£34,675 OTE - consisting of a fixed base salary of £28,000, plus a performance-based monthly remuneration, resulting in a potential annual salary of up to £40,000.
START DATE
March/April 2024
To apply for this role, please follow this link to complete a short questionnaire.
ChariTea mate is a herbal iced tea that keeps on giving, without the crash of coffee. After becoming a staple of German nightlife culture, it is now taking the UK by storm as many of us look for healthier alternatives to booze and sugary soft drinks.
Have you ever heard of yerba mate?
If you’ve been to South America, the answer is probably yes. Pronounced ‘mah-tey’, the yerba mate plant is indigenous to this region, particularly around Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. The characteristic smoky flavour is derived from the way the leaves are commonly dried over a wood fire when harvested. They are then steeped in hot water to make tea, just like your cup at home.
A natural pick-me-up
Mate tea is high in polyphenols, vitamins and antioxidants, and has been observed to lower cholesterol, benefit the cardiovascular system and even aid weight loss. Think of it as a revitalising, pick-me-up herbal tea. Most notably, mate is naturally higher in caffeine than green or black tea. To be more accurate, caffeine in tea is known as theine.
When tea steeps with water it forms different bonds to those of caffeine in coffee, which usually take longer to enter the blood stream. Instead of a quick fix with coffee, tea is a more mellow, longer lasting boost. Research shows that mate tea sharpens the mind, increases energy and improves concentration. It does this without over-stimulating the central nervous system which can lead to the all too familiar ‘jitters’ and crash from caffeine.
From all-day working to late-night twerking
These invigorating abilities make mate the perfect companion for everyone from all-day workers to late-night twerkers. In fact, mate in its iced tea form was introduced to European popular culture through hackathons in Germany. It then moved into the rave scene and has now embedded itself as a staple of German nightlife as a healthier and longer-lasting alternative to synthetic energy drinks. Now, ChariTea has brought that culture to the UK.
Alongside all of their flavours, ChariTea mate is made using only the best organic, Fairtrade ingredients. Made from real brewed, loose-leaf tea, it is naturally sweetened with agave nectar, with no refined sugar, additives, or other nasties. On top of this, 5p from every bottle is donated to the Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation. So far, the Foundation has raised over £5 million for development projects in the countries where the ingredients are sourced. Soft drinks, strong values.