Portrait of a tea picker at work (Madagascar). During the harvest season, hundreds of workers move through the tea bushes each day with practiced gestures, collecting the youngest leaves by hand. In Madagascar, tea is grown only in a central highland region where the climate and altitude provide ideal conditions for cultivation. The entire national demand is met by this single production area. This work is essential for the local economy. Many of the pickers are women, and the wages they earn help support their families in an area where employment options are limited. For households in this rural region, tea harvesting offers one of the few sources of regular income. In addition to direct employment, the tea fields also support small-scale farmers who manage part of the land and contribute to the supply. The work in the plantation helps sustain the livelihood of entire communities, providing both economic stability and a sense of continuity in daily life.