This short documentary follows Monica Timotheo—a mother and tea factory processor at Sakare Specialty Tea Company (SSTC) as she shares how her life has transformed since joining the factory.
Today, her story is different.
Established in 2023 by CARE Tanzania and KAZI Yetu, SSTC is Tanzania’s first smallholder farmer-owned specialty tea factory, nestled in the Usambara Mountains in Bungu, Tanga, Tanzania. Inside the factory, tea leaves are carefully sorted, withered, rolled, dried and packaged. Yet beyond the machinery, it is women who power this process. From production and quality control to daily operations, women are not just part of the workforce—they are leading it.
For many like Monica, this work means more than employment. It brings financial independence, the ability to support their families, invest in education, and actively participate in decision-making at home and within their communities.