Tea has helped heal nations thanks to women the world over.

One such woman is Swaady Martin. She reminds me of the Emperor Shen Nung.

Apparently this Chinese emperor discovered the wonders of tea after wild tree leaves blew into his cup of hot water. It's believed he experienced a warm feeling when he drank out of the cup. A symbol was created in his honour as tea was said to bring balance and harmony to the human race.

Like Shen Nung, Martin is a strong believer in the power of tea and is the queen of gourmet teas. She left the corporate world to open a tea shop, YSWARA in November 2012 in the heart of Maboneng Precinct. It's a Moroccan-inspired tearoom with Coptic crosses from Ethiopia, totem lamps inspired by West and Central Africa and every detail has meaning. Martin says more than just the love of tea, she wanted to make a change in the world. "The company was created as a way to contribute to the reversal of the African commodity trap. We unlock Africa's potential to produce beautiful, contemporary, ethically sourced superior quality products that appeal to a local and international market, while achieving societal impact and promoting African history, art and culture," she says. She has had a long endearing relationship with tea.