The unique climate of Darjeeling and the slopes of the hills make it especially conductive to the growing of tea, a characteristic that was discovered by the British during colonial rule. Thus, in the 1800s, tea estates were established by the British in Darjeeling, India with a particularly unique hierarchical structure that continues to date. At almost every tea estate in India, the chief functionary at the estate is the Manager who controls the estate in a rigid hierarchy. Over the years, this structure has led to a concentration of decision-making power and restricted upward social mobility for the small farmers and planters. The local communities that form the largest chunk of the plantation have no say in most day-to-day decisions. Through Our Last Mile, we are attempting to bring changes to this structure - an effort that continues the legacy of a legendary planter from the Samabeong Tea Estate. Since the mid-1980s, the Samabeong Estate has led the charge for decentralizing power, involving the local community in decision-making processes of the estate, and creating a more balanced and harmonious ecosystem. Today, with an intent to preserve these efforts Samabeong has opened its doors for ecotourism - an important step for separating business from the community development. Our Last Mile is a social enterprise that works with the Samabeong Tea Estate to promote the local community and small farmers rights with the support of ecotourism revenues.
