A – Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas – M is for Music

One of the reasons we decided to do this A-Z of Christmas on our blog was to let people know about the wide variety of fair trade goods there are available.  One thing I don’t think people would associate with Fair Trade is musical instruments.  We have a range of percussion instruments, from a lovely Gecko Clacker for little hands to a full size Jammer Djembe.

They are all made in Indonesia by local artists, communities and craftsmen. Producers represent the five main religions and both male and female craftsmen are employed through the various stages of the production process. This helps to 

further maintain a social balance in these areas. Producers are allowed to dictate prices and these prices are above local averages. 

A – Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas – L is for Light

Candles certainly do their part in creating a Christmas atmosphere in your home.  This Tree Tealight is very popular this year and would look lovely in your home.  

It is made of polished aluminum by Noah’s Ark in India.  You can purchase it online from our store here.

A – Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas – K is for Kenya

Tigers Eye & gold plated triangle necklace

We have a range of traditional, ethnic fair trade fashion jewellery which is skilfully produced by physically challenged artisans in Kenya, who would otherwise be homeless and destitute. 

Their fair trade jewellery collection has received international acclaim for their exclusive African designs and excellent finishes and demonstrates fantastic fair trade crafts.

A – Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas – J is for Jewellery Box

A Jewellery Box makes a nice gift for Christmas and there is a lovely fair trade selection available starting at just €19.95.  Made in India you can choose from boxes made from saris, or silk and skilfully decorated with embroidery. They are all beautifully finished inside. A good reason for purchasing fair trade items like this is to create a demand which helps to keep ancient craft skills alive within the communities of indigenous people.  

A – Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas – I is for Indonesia

Indonesia has seen great turmoil in recent years, having faced the Asian financial crisis, the fall of President Suharto after 32 years in office, the first free elections since the 1960s, the loss of East Timor, independence demands from restive provinces, bloody ethnic and religious conflict and a devastating tsunami.

There are a number of brilliant fair trade projects operating in Indonesia, usually supplementing the income of subsistence farmers.  This lovely nativity set, made by Pekerti, is guaranteed to be a talking point in any home this Christmas, the bright hand- painted colours on these six wooden figures are inspired by the Dayak traditional dress.  Pekerti (Indonesian People's Folk-Art and Handicraft Foundation), is a social development agency formed in Jakarta, 1975. Its mandate is to supplement the incomes of subsistence farmers and rural people through the development and sale of traditional fair trade crafts and folks art.  Pekerti trains and gives assistance to the producers to market domestically. They also give services in marketing, especially in export marketing, which cannot be done by the producers themselves. Pekerti also gives the producers an advanced payment for the producers and also a credit scheme for investment.

                     

Our range of musical instruments is also produced in Indonesia by local artists, communities and craftsmen. Producers represent the five main religions and both male and female craftsmen are employed through the various stages of the production process. This helps to further maintain a social balance in these areas. Producers are allowed to dictate prices and these prices are above local averages.   In return they supply high quality products and there is an attention to detail that surpasses products made under factory or other mass-production conditions. This rewards the high quality craftsmen and encourages other importers to work with the high quality artists above other producers. 

 Child labour is not used but the part-time training of older youths is encouraged. These trainees remain in education and they receive a full wage for the time that they spend working. This will ensure that they have a career to follow upon leaving school (if they choose to do so) and will help to sustain the community for successive generations.  All raw materials are sustainable and legal. No poached or endangered woods are used. No toxic or harmful materials are to be used in the production process and any waste created must be disposed of in an ecologically sound manner.

We’re up to H in our A – Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas and we’d like to introduce you to Hatti Bags from Nepal.

All of our products come with wonderful stories of the people making them but the story of Hatti Bags is one of our favouries.  These beautiful bags, which can be bought in our online store, are made by girls rescued from Indian circuses by the Esther Benjamins Trust.

Shoulder Bag with embroidery
 inspired by Sari prints

In 2002 the EBT sent research teams to the 30 major Indian circuses. At great personal danger, teams identified 232 children under the age of 14, 82% of them girls and nearly all Nepalese. Most of the children had been trafficked at the age of 8 or 9 (although some had been as young as 5). They told how their village communities had been preyed upon by professional agents who had tricked their impoverished and illiterate parents into handing them over to the circus for just a few dollars.

Thumbprints on documents that the naïve parents could not read condemned their children to an 18-hour per day, seven days per week routine for the next 10 to 15 years. Inadvertently they were also handing over their children to a life of malnourishment, harsh training schedules and vicious beatings by the circus staff. Frequently the girls would also be sexually assaulted.

Bold rescue teams were sent to confront the circus owners and use all legal means on the ground to secure freedom. This high-risk process led to the release of over 200 trafficking victims during the period 2003 - 2006. The youngest children who return from the circuses can mostly - and safely - be reunited with their parents and join school at an appropriate age.

Buckled leather bag.

Available in Black or Tan

For the older girls who might lack the academic ability or interest in joining formal education there is a skills training project to help them get back on their feet and gain an independent life, however, it has became evident that securing jobs for the returnees is virtually impossible due to the social stigma associated with being trafficked. So in 2005, instead of trying to secure outside employment for the girls the EBT, in conjunction with Hatti Trading (UK) set up a handbag production centre under Fair Trade conditions to provide a realistic economic alternative to being re-trafficked. 

In June 2007,  Hatti took on responsibility for the production centre and set up an independent private, but not for profit, company called Hatti Production Pvt Ltd. They still work in exactly the same way, providing training and jobs for young women rescued by The Esther Benjamins Trust and the charity is still close on hand to look out for the girls’ welfare, but the production centre is now an independent entity.

What wasn't anticipated at the time was the impact it would have on the girls who worked there; suddenly, they transitioned from being ‘charity cases’ to independent professional young women working for a foreign organisation. Their self esteem went through the roof; finally they could hold their head up high when asked what they do. At the same time there was a move to a new premises so the locals had no knowledge of what they had come from, and the girls could at last truly move on from their past.

Hatti started with 8 girls, there are now 17, plus Ritu, the Production Centre Manager, Shanti, the House Mother and two security guards. Some girls are now living with relatives locally and there has even been a wedding recently. The main difference now is that the girls are empowered to make their own choices and have the confidence to do so.  You might be interested in reading more about  the Esther Benjamins Trust and their work with children and young girls rescued from Indian circus: http://www.ebtrust.org.uk/  

G is for Gifts. The A - Z Guide to a Fair Trade Christmas

G is for Gifts. This Christmas why not start a new tradition and buy fair trade gifts for your family and friends? For hundreds of thousands of people, Fair Trade means the difference between a hand-to-mouth existence, and being able to plan for the future.

There are some misconceptions that buying fair trade means sacrificing quality. This is not the case. Fairly paid artisans take pride in their work. Goods are often handmade, which translates into closer attention to detail and in the end higher-quality products.

Fair Trade means fair wages, safe working conditions and long-term, stable business partnerships for disadvantaged artisans and producers. It also offers the comfort of knowing that there was no child labour involved in your purchase. Your purchase makes a difference.

At Arusha we offer beautiful Fair Trade certified gifts; arts and handcrafts from the world's artisans. Why not try our gift selector?