Greenecho is a social enterprise who delivers tailored mentoring programmes for young students. The aim is to equip the next generation of social entrepreneurs with strong business skills while
spreading awareness about fair trade and sustainability between teenagers. The "green apprentices" are involved in practical business activities which see them engaged in rebranding and selling organic green tea directly on the London market. The students
are expected to actively participate to mentoring classes which are kindly provided by experts in different disciplines. The training has helped them to deliver their tasks in a more organized and conscious manner. Each student has been assigned a specific
role (such as sales, marketing, finance, PR, design) whilst promoting at the same time collaboration and team-building.
The students have been selected after an application process based on their motivations and skills. We have been mainly working with young people from mixed backgrounds in order to encourage
social integration and intercultural dialogue. Although Richmond Park Academy is located in a privileged area of London, the students speak more than 60 languages and come mainly from underprivileged communities. They are currently promoting and selling the
limited tea edition mainly at fundraising events and local fairs. They are pitching their product at cafés and local businesses and aim also to target bigger supermarkets like Waitrose who has already shown its interest in the initiative.
Green Connection is our pilot project. Up to date the students we have came across have shown that youth is worth to invest in and have demonstrated to be capable to think critically and take
action around topical issues.
Their enthusiasm have helped them to reach a relevant number of customers and to educate people around them about sustainability and ethical consumerism. They are already training up other peers
and envisage that the project will be a legacy that they will leave with younger students in order for it to continue in the future.
Not only they have learnt about eco and responsible business but have done it for a good cause which has enormously increased their motivation. They were so impressed about the life in Sri Lanka
and the hard work of the women that they have decided to raise additional funds to visit Paradise Farm.
This is why we are asking your help.
$ 4800 will allow to replicate the project in three other schools. $1600 will be enough to ship more tea from Sri Lanka and support the next team of young entrepreneurs to launch their fair
trade business.
By helping us to reach our fundraising target you can be proud to be part of a new learning model which is making a difference locally and internationally. With just $7 you can virtually buy
2 loose tea leaf bag of 50 gr each, organically grown and hand-picked from women of Paradise farm in Sri Lanka.
Listen what Zac Goldsmith – Entrepreneur and MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston – has to say:
“This business venture is not just about selling tea.
It is about spreading the message among consumers of the importance of supporting Freetrade products. The development of a market for ‘Greeny Goodness’ will provide work and fairer incomes for
the Shri Lankan producers and is already encouraging co-operation among workers from across the country’s political divide."
$50 will help us to cover the fees for mentoring the students and equip them with the necessary skills to become successful sales persons, social entrepreneurs, marketing experts, environmental
economists and so on. With $80 you can help the students to purchase 500 stickers to rebrand the tea with their personal company logo. $750 will buy 500 gr of tea which will generate an income for the women of Sri Lanka and for their siblings the possibility
to be educated.
