Fair Trade Woman 2008: Blog

I attended the launch of Fairtrade Fortnight this morning where 4 producers from Tanzania, Belize, Kenya and Uganda spoke about the affects of Fairtrade on their communitites. And when you hear a man speak of how, in Tanzania, young girls working on non-Fairtrade flower plantations are often subjected to abuse while those working on Fairtrade plantations work under strict protective condidtions, it makes you think about the occassions when you buy flowers - about the sentiment that goes into that act - and the terrible experiences that may be behind the production of those flowers.

Another speaker from Kenya spoke of how women in her village had been empowered through the social premium attached to every Fairtrade product's price. How that money is put towards sending their daughters to school or providing low interest loans that allow women to set up their own business.

And I have to say, to all of you who make the choice to make someone else's life better, good on you!

And rock on, Fairtrade!