Ten Senses Africa (TSA) is a company that is dedicated to organic, fair trade and ethical business practices. To develop a sustainable Social Enterprise that manages a value chain for Fair Trade products (nuts) from East Africa. Thus, improving the livelihoods of 1 million small holder farmers in the next 10 years in a way that builds a stronger Africa.
Around 2006 the Integra Foundation (Slovakia) was doing some projects with the Navigators EPTF on promoting Corporate Social Responsibility among Kenyan SME’s. TSA was borne during this time, when Dora Waruiru (who was leading EPTF at the time) encountered macadamia farmers in Central who were struggling against unscrupulous middlemen to get a decent price for their product.
Integra had worked in the area of Fair Trade in Europe for some years, and the application of Fair Trade principles to the Kenyan macadamia industry seemed not only the right thing to do for the farmers, but an excellent business opportunity to link Kenyan macadamia to the growing fairtrade markets in Europe and North America.
Macadamia nuts are purchased at a price that enables the growers (farmers) to improve their living standards and develop their businesses, through a development premium which goes towards infrastructure development and community improvement. TenSenses currently purchases macadamia nuts from 1,300 farmers in Taita Hills, Meru and central regions in Kenya.