Traidcraft products on display
Traidcraft was founded on Christian principles and it's their mission to fight poverty through trade.
Since 1979 it's been working for trade justice for growers and producers in the poorest countries around the world.
Traidcraft is a pioneer of the fair trade movement in the UK and jointly founded by the Fairtrade Foundation. It's activities also include overseas development programmes, trade policy, campaigns and trade justice.
Traidcraft believes that to achieve change we need to combine a range of activities:
Trading directly with producers
Scaling up the learning from that activity (with a wider range of beneficiaries and a focus on local markets as well as international trade)
Addressing the need for wider structural and policy change through modelling good business practices
Mobilising consumers to influence government and corporate behaviour.
To carry out these activities it works through two financially and legally distinct entities - a trading company and a development charity.
Over the years it has demonstrated it's ability to have impact and influence that far exceeds the scale of our activities, and have established itself as a global leader in making trade work for the people in the developing world.
( Source: Traidcraft website 2017)
During February 2015 I visited Alistair Menzies (Head of Commercial Business) at Traidcraft's head office, Gateshead, UK and was invited to provide input for a video the Traidcraft team is producing for Fair Trade UAE.
This was my second visit to Traidcraft and I was overwhelmed by the teams support.
It was lovely to meet Morin who is a designer and we sat and talked about fair trade and her new designs
Strangers who I had never met were interested to support fairtrade in my part of the world.
Although, time was limited, the meeting was constructive and on my way home I felt a renewed release of energy and determination.
It's always uplifting to be supported by such fairtrade organisations and pioneers.
I will keep you updated with the video and post it below once it has been completed, fingers crossed.
Warmest regards and keep supporting fairtrade wherever you are!
Sabeena :)
The Traidcraft Justice Game
On a cold dark morning in October my brother Farooq and I boarded a train from Manchester Piccadilly to Gateshead near Newcastle Upon Tyne to meet with Emma Jewitt and the team at Traidcraft.
We arrived in Newcastle and took the metro and bus to Traidcraft's offices.
We were met by the bubbly Emma and given a tour of the building.
The lovely Emma Jewitt
Traidcraft distribution and packing area
Helen Falconer Flint and me!
Sourcing new Traidcraft products
It was great to meet Paul Chandler Chief Executive of Traidcraft and many Traidcraft representatives.
Emma explained how she had visited Bangladesh and worked with fair trade artisans.
It was important for me to hear how Traidcraft's work was benefitting and improving the lives of women, children and their communities.
We enjoyed a late lunch and said our goodbyes.
I hope to visit Traidcraft in the near future.
Further Reading and Links
This year the Fairtrade Foundation organised several webinars about Fairtrade Farmers and the Climate Crisis before and during Fairtrade Fortnight 2023.
I have translated this vlog in Urdu.
اس سال فیئر ٹریڈ فاؤنڈیشن نے فیئر ٹریڈ فورٹ نائٹ 2023 سے پہلے اور اس کے دوران فیئر ٹریڈ فارمرز اور موسمیاتی بحران کے بارے میں کئی ویبنارز کا اہتمام کیا۔
میں نے اس بلاگ کا اردو میں ترجمہ کیا ہے۔
This year's International Women's Day campaign was about embracing equity.
Sadly my right shoulder has been very painful and didn't receive the World Fair Trade Organization tool kit in time and designed my own IWD23 poster.
I decided to write my poster in English and Urdu.
I hope I can record a video for next year.
اس سال خواتین کے عالمی دن کی مہم مساوات کو اپنانے کے بارے میں تھی۔
افسوس کی بات ہے کہ میرا دایاں کندھا بہت تکلیف دہ رہا ہے اور مجھے ورلڈ فیئر ٹریڈ آرگنائزیشن ٹول کٹ بروقت نہیں ملی اور میں نے اپنا IWD23 پوسٹر ڈیزائن کیا۔
میں نے اپنا پوسٹر انگریزی اور اردو میں لکھنے کا فیصلہ کیا۔
مجھے امید ہے کہ میں اگلے سال کے لیے ایک ویڈیو ریکارڈ کر سکوں گا۔
This month I continued to heal from my shoulder procedure (January 2022) and am learning to live with pain in my right shoulder.
I participated in several webinars the first being the World Cancer Day 2023.
The second webinar was organised the World Pulse Changemaker Lab 2022 Program.
I participated in Fairtrade Fortnight 2023 which commenced February 27th - 12th March.
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I'm Sabeena Ahmed owner and creator of The Little Fair Trade Shop. I've been an individual associate member of the World Fair Trade Organization since 2011 and together with my artisans I bring you a bespoke collection of ethically sourced fashion & gifts.
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