Assembly – w/b 25 th February

How many times have you said …

It’s not fair!!!

But ….. is this fair? I only own a few acres of land in Mali. I work really hard to grow good quality crops but the big companies who buy from us won’t give us a reasonable price. They pay us so little that my children cry because they’re hungry. I can’t afford to send them all to school. My youngest is very ill but I can’t afford the medicines he needs. The worst thing is, I have no power to change this situation. It’s not fair.

Who can help?

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. Fairtrade makes sure companies pay sustainable prices for products. These prices must never fall lower than the market price. Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which has treated the poorest, weakest producers very badly. Fairtrade helps these producers to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

"Today, all my children can go to school because I can afford to pay the school fees; we eat every day, we are able to eat when we are hungry. I can also meet the costs of medicines should we need them. Before, it was difficult to find enough money to get by. Only three of my children used to go to school; today all of my children go to school. Our kids are well dressed, they have uniforms and they have materials for school. With the premium we’ve built two classrooms, a teachers staff room and a shop." Moussa Keita grows cotton in Mali

Fairtrade Fortnight 25 th February – 10 th March Take part in one of the different activities and events that will be happening all over the country. Check out the Fairtrade website, local radio and newspapers. What can I do?

Buy one fairtrade item. It’s a small step but one which can help to make a big difference

Helping small scale farmers in the developing countries to help themselves and their communities