Nutritious Artemisia tea a must have!

Who would ever have thought Artemisia afra (Lengana) could be turned into a perfect blend that will elevate your tea experience?

Well, Khothatso Mpeqa has found himself producing this highly nutritious tea under his brand Fola Fast.

Mpeqa was born and bred at Ha Maope, Berea and raised at Ha Mohlaetoa in Teyateyaneng; he is now based in Ha Thamae, Maseru.

Ever since his childhood, tea was a constant beverage in his life and even after he moved out on his own, tea and sugar were the two necessities he could never go without.

Mpeqa would rather prioritise a cup of tea even if he was about to run out of electricity.

Tired of the limitations of store-bought teas and sugar, he made the decision to create his own herbal blends in 2012. He started experimenting with various herbs in an effort to find a sweet tea with an original flavor that would suit his own tastes.

He didn’t get the unique flavour he was looking for until he added Artemisia afra, also referred to as African wormwood or lengana in Sesotho, to his herbal tea blends earlier in 2017.

“The first time I knew about the wild wormwood was when I saw it dry, I made sure to collect it in large quantities. Then it crossed my mind that I could actually turn it into a tea while it was dry, confident that it would actually bring a good taste I was looking for.

“I mixed it with my other herbs, but the taste was not the one I expected. I had tried the mixture for three months in attempt to get the taste I wanted without being discouraged. Finally, the tea was tasting good and that was the day I made up my mind to never buy the tea from any stores,” Mpeqa said.

As a matter of fact, Mpeqa had suffered from terrible chest problems for years which weren’t completely treated by medical treatment, as well as frequent recurrent flus. He took a cup of his Artemisia afra tea one day while going through a severe flu hoping for temporary relief.

He was surprised to find that the herbal tea had a healing effect on his condition because he woke up the following morning feeling totally relieved. However, he had to ensure that he gets the correct formula and measurements to treat it.

“I therefore made the decision to share the remedy with my neighbours who also had the same symptoms of flu, they came back with the same testimony, and I couldn’t believe it. Word quickly got out that this Artemisia afra tea was a good way to relieve respiratory pain and flu symptoms hence I had to introduce it to the market,” Mpeqa expressed.

His Artemisia afra tea became widely recognised following a NUL exhibition in early 2018;

By the time COVID-19 emerged in late 2019, the demand for his tea had skyrocketed, as people sought natural remedies to support their immune systems. The publicity contributed to the acknowledgement of Artemisia afra as a strong, affordable, and easily accessible treatment.

Consumers mentioned how the tea had improved their immunity, helped them manage respiratory problems, and provided relief from a number of persistent illnesses such as diabetes.

Unfortunately, in spite of his business running smoothly then, Mpeqa highlighted some of the challenges he encountered that forced him to put the business on halt.

People including companies decided to steal his idea but faked the tea; they copied the whole package but the taste was different. They then went out of their way to convince customers that his tea does not work.

 “My tea is a bargain on the market considering the benefits it provides; having helped so many I can truly recommend it to anyone,” he expressed.

Mpeqa envisions his tea becoming a staple on store shelves across Lesotho, trending like never before and accessible to all who might benefit from it. The tea is not only effective but also affordable, aligning with his goal to make natural healing accessible to everyone.

Apart from tea, he has also developed other herbal blends, including rosehip tea shells, best for eye sight.

“I want to assure people that tea will no longer run out; it will always be available whenever they want it. They can contact me on +266 5789 8435 or +266 6270 0101,” he noted.