There is a tea garden on my usual route and usually there is no one there working so I was surprised when I saw these women (and some men) plucking tea leaves. Yes, this is indeed the first step before the leaves are processed and this isn't as easy as it looks.
Usually it is the women who pluck leaves and the men work inside the factory or as manual labourers elsewhere. The only man you will usually see at a tea garden is the supervisor or a photographer like me. Plucking tea leaves is an art in itself. You can't pluck any leaf on the tree (yes, they are called tea "trees"). I'm pretty sure they pluck only the tender leaves. I know this because I once did a project for school on the process of making tea.
These women (and the occasional male member) really go through a tough time. They have to work really hard in the sweltering heat and even when it rains. They wear about four thick layers of clothes from the waist down (including a plastic sheet) to protect themselves for the various dangerous creatures that lurk in these plantations. I can't even begin to imagine how hot they must feel. They do all this for really really low wages - most are paid a little more than a dollar per day! Some are paid according to the amount they pluck. The leaves are weighed and then the pay decided at the end of the day.
One fact of note is that they work with complete focus. There is very little interaction except during breaks or when they see a weirdo like me pulling out a camera. They noticed me from afar. I stood at a distance taking pictures and when they noticed me they came together and started pointing at me and talking and smiling. I didn't want to get too close because the supervisor was nearby and I didn't want to irritate him.
Today's title is a quote from the Bible. It is taken from Proverbs 14:23 which says "In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury."
Have a great day :)
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