World Fair Trade Day: How & Why to Celebrate
Today we join our hearts with millions of small producers, artisans, farmers and small-hold manufacturers, Fair Trade producers, traders, as well as consumers to celebrate World Fair Trade Day.
By Michelle Hamman | Twitter: @mothertongues
Since I started my business six years ago, I became acutely aware of the difference fair trade can make to people’s lives. The ethos of my company is to nurture people and the earth, so I knew I needed fair trade products to carry the message. I believe we need a fair and sustainable economy locally and globally, which means we need trade to benefit the most vulnerable amongst us. I believe with all my heart that fair trade is an effective and efficient response to poverty.
Because:
- More than 1.1 billion people live on less than $1 per day.
- At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.
- According to UNICEF, 22 000 children die each day due to poverty.
I saw this kind of poverty when we lived in Zambia last year. About 68% of Zambians live below the recognized national poverty line. Life expectancy at birth is about 38 years in Zambia, due in large part to HIV/AIDS. We visited a church where the attendance list didn’t even have a box to tick for ages above 50.
Small Business, Big Impact
Then I visited two amazing projects in Zambia and saw firsthand how a small business can make a huge difference in a community.
Chikumbuso was started by one woman who wanted to help a widow she met in Lusaka. Now Chikumbuso consists of a training program, a school for orphans and a microenterprise where women make beautiful bags from recycled shopping bags, as well as bracelets. (Also see their beautiful photos on their Facebook page.)
The second place I visited was Tribal Textiles. Located in a very poor part of Zambia, they provide jobs to more than 150 people and actively support and fund-raise for the local community school, educating over 160 children. I’ve been raving about their beautiful products so much, that our local Fair Trade shop placed an order from them.
Here are some ideas how we can celebrate World Fair Trade today:
- Find a Fair Trade product fair, or visit a Fair Trade store near you and stock up on some gifts.
- Several Fair Trade shops and organizations have successfully held Fair Trade Coffee/Tea Breaks, and each time a new record is set. Visit and inquire at your nearest Fair Trade shop.
- You can celebrate in your school by showing Fair Trade films/documentaries. Contact your nearest Fair Trade shop or organization and inquire about film materials for showing. You can also show films/documentaries with themes like poverty, climate change, environment and food and water crisis.
- Fair kids painting competition: We can teach children the values of fairness and Fair Trade through a painting competition. It is fun for children, as well as, adults! Organize a local Fair Kids Painting competition and teach your kids about Fair Trade.
- Use your imagination to come up with more ideas!
So, remember to celebrate World Fair Trade Day. Together we can make the world a better place for all of us.
* Facts from:
http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00282/over_world.htm
http://earthtrends.wri.org/updates/node/6
About Michelle:
Michelle Hamman is the owner of MotherTongues.com and loves traveling and exploring with her husband and two beautiful girls. During their sabbatical last year, they lived in 3 different countries, studied to become trilingual, took way too many photos, didn’t do enough homeschooling, and don’t regret any of it. Between travels, she lives with her family in Holland, Michigan.
Image: Woman with bag from Chikumbiso Facebook page
