Tanzania – Improving workers wellbeing at Amama Farms.
Many workers at Amama Farms travel long distances to reach the factory each day.
Through bicycles and an expanded veggie garden, this project aims to improve mobility, wellbeing and access to fresh meals for approximately 300 workers.
At Amama Farms in southern Tanzania, cashews are processed close to where they are grown before being shipped directly to Europe. By processing locally, more value stays in Tanzania, more jobs are created, and transportation emissions are reduced.
The factory provides employment to hundreds of people from nearby communities, most of them women. For many families, these jobs provide a stable source of income and financial security.
Long commuting distances
For many employees at Amama Farms, getting to work is not a simple journey. Most workers are women living in rural communities, often far from the processing facility.
Some employees spend more than two hours travelling each day to reach the factory, facing long walks and limited transportation options. This not only takes valuable time away from their families, but can also affect their wellbeing and quality of life.
To help address commuting challenges, Amama Farms launched a bicycle programme for its workforce.
By providing bicycles, the initiative helps workers travel more easily and efficiently between their homes and the factory. The programme reduces transportation barriers and makes daily commuting safer, faster and more comfortable.
A total of 240 bicycles have been distributed, helping improve mobility and supporting the wellbeing of the people behind Amama’s cashew supply chain.
The Bicycle Initiative
A few years ago, at Amama it was a veggie garden started to to grow fresh food for the workers meals. What began as a small initiative has become an important part of daily life at the factory.
Today, the veggie garden is cared for by the workers and produces a variety of vegetables throughout the year. The harvest is used to prepare fresh lunches for workers, helping create a healthier and more enjoyable working environment.
The success of the initiative has shown the value of locally grown food, but the current garden is reaching its limits.
Access to fresh and nutritious meals
Today, employees receive two lunches per week through the programme this limatation is because the current space for the garden is 1000m2, which is limiting how much food can be produced.
Expanding the veggie garden
To support workers wellbeing, Amama Farms plans to expand its veggie garden and increase the availability of fresh produce for workers.
The expanded garden will provide space to grow a wider variety of vegetables, including Chinese spinach, hot peppers, sweet peppers, amaranth greens, eggplant, kale, sukuma, cabbage and African eggplant. The harvest will be used to prepare fresh lunches for employees throughout the year.
Increase the lunch programme from 2 to 5 meals per week
Provide fresh lunches for approximately 300 workers
Increase the garden area from 1,000 m² to 1,808 m²
Grow 9 different vegetable varieties year round
Help us expand the Amama wellbeing programme
The current veggie garden can only provide two lunches per week for workers. Your donation will help expand the garden, increase meal availability to five lunches per week and improve wellbeing for approximately 300 people.