For the last year, I have been volunteering at a Fair Trade Store near where I live, called Cross Roads. Having lived in a third world country, and living with African people who struggled hard just to have the necessities of life like food, shelter, transportation, health care, education, I have become passionate with the mission of Fair Trade which has the intention of providing a fair, living wage to the producers of the products we buy from them. Some of these products we think of as necessities in this country like coffee, chocolate and sugar etc. And when you think of the people who must work the longest and the hardest to provide these "luxuries" for us, it is those producers in those 3ed world countries who are often paid the least amount of money. Enter Fair Trade and its mission to provide a fair, sustainable, living wage to these producers so that they can just live. So what are the reasons to buy Fair Trade products? Let me give some reason here for all of us to think about:
1. To support a system that benefits the poor. The mainstream trading system is exploiting and failing the poor in 3ed world countries.
2. Support a trade system that pays a just and fair price to the originators of products around the world. These are often the people who do the hardest part of the work.
3. Make international trade more democratic. International trade is mostly undemocratic, controlled by large corporations for their greatest profit.
4. Help bring justice and empowerment to women and girls. Women & girls do most of the work, and except for Fair Trade Cooperatives, are treated like second class citizens.
5.Help guarantee a just and fair price for products, i.e. coffee, irregardless of fluctuating prices on the open market. With Fair Trade, growers are guaranteed a minimum fair price for their products. The Fair Trade minimum price is calculated to cover the costs of sustainable production and sustainable livelihood. This minimum price does not fall below this minimum price when the world markets fall. This allows for long-term planning and sustainable production practices. It is a partnership between producers and Fair Trade Organizations. Producers can also ask for up to 60 %-financing. It also provides a living wage that people can count on.
6. Promote human rights and dignity for each person in the process of trade. Fair Trade is not a charity; it is simple justice.
7. Stops paying so much money to people between the producers and the consumers; the intermediaries who often exploit the growers and producers. Non-Fair Trade coffee, i.e. can change hands up to 150 times before it reaches your cup. Often, the producers are paid just 2 cents on a $3.00 cup of coffee! Fair Trade products, by contrast, are usually sold directly from the in-country cooperative and the manufacturers.
8. Help protect the earth. Most for-profit traders put farmers, producers, social and environmental concerns last. Fair Trade puts them first. Any co-op that works through Fair Trade Organizations must have as one of its priorities, to protect the environment.
9. Help end child exploitation. Millions of children world-wide are exploited, trafficked and enslaved by adults for money, and many are injured or die as a result. This is not allowed in a Fair Trade Coop.
If you want to know more about Fair Trade, go to: http://www.fairtradeerresources.org or http://fairtradeprinciples.org In the meantime, look for the Fair Trade labels at the store, and spread the word~
1. To support a system that benefits the poor. The mainstream trading system is exploiting and failing the poor in 3ed world countries.
2. Support a trade system that pays a just and fair price to the originators of products around the world. These are often the people who do the hardest part of the work.
3. Make international trade more democratic. International trade is mostly undemocratic, controlled by large corporations for their greatest profit.
4. Help bring justice and empowerment to women and girls. Women & girls do most of the work, and except for Fair Trade Cooperatives, are treated like second class citizens.
5.Help guarantee a just and fair price for products, i.e. coffee, irregardless of fluctuating prices on the open market. With Fair Trade, growers are guaranteed a minimum fair price for their products. The Fair Trade minimum price is calculated to cover the costs of sustainable production and sustainable livelihood. This minimum price does not fall below this minimum price when the world markets fall. This allows for long-term planning and sustainable production practices. It is a partnership between producers and Fair Trade Organizations. Producers can also ask for up to 60 %-financing. It also provides a living wage that people can count on.
6. Promote human rights and dignity for each person in the process of trade. Fair Trade is not a charity; it is simple justice.
7. Stops paying so much money to people between the producers and the consumers; the intermediaries who often exploit the growers and producers. Non-Fair Trade coffee, i.e. can change hands up to 150 times before it reaches your cup. Often, the producers are paid just 2 cents on a $3.00 cup of coffee! Fair Trade products, by contrast, are usually sold directly from the in-country cooperative and the manufacturers.
8. Help protect the earth. Most for-profit traders put farmers, producers, social and environmental concerns last. Fair Trade puts them first. Any co-op that works through Fair Trade Organizations must have as one of its priorities, to protect the environment.
9. Help end child exploitation. Millions of children world-wide are exploited, trafficked and enslaved by adults for money, and many are injured or die as a result. This is not allowed in a Fair Trade Coop.
If you want to know more about Fair Trade, go to: http://www.fairtradeerresources.org or http://fairtradeprinciples.org In the meantime, look for the Fair Trade labels at the store, and spread the word~
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