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
My right shoulder is still very painful and inflamed again and I have struggled to type this blog.
Despite my pain I managed to attend a webinar and record videos about PIE Community members expressing an interest to join.
I celebrated World Cancer Day 2024 by creating a poster in Urdu and English.
I participated in a School for Social Entrepreneur webinar with Chris Hines MBE.
Translation in Urdu
My sister sent me links to webinars about Great Mental Health Day which took place 26th January 2024.
I am grateful to all the guest speakers and trainers who took time out of their busy schedules to talk about Suicide Prevention, Bereavement and Write to Speak Your Poetry.
Translation in Urdu
میری بہن نے مجھے عظیم دماغی صحت کے دن کے بارے میں ویبینرز کے لنکس بھیجے جو 26 جنوری 2024 کو ہوا تھا۔
میں ان تمام مہمان مقررین اور ٹرینرز کا مشکور ہوں جنہوں نے اپنے مصروف شیڈول میں سے وقت نکال کر خودکشی کی روک تھام، سوگ اور اپنی شاعری لکھنے کے بارے میں بات کی۔
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to all my fair trade friends and family around the world.
My right shoulder is still very painful and inflamed again and I have struggled to type this blog.
Despite my pain I managed to attend a webinar and record videos about PIE Community members expressing an interest to join.
I joined a couple of sessions about Mental Health and Suicide Training.
These sessions were organised by THRIVE LDN.
Translation in Urdu
نیا سال مبارک ہو!
دنیا بھر میں میرے تمام منصفانہ تجارتی دوستوں اور اہل خانہ کو نیا سال مبارک ہو۔
میرا دایاں کندھا اب بھی بہت تکلیف دہ ہے اور دوبارہ سوجن ہے اور میں نے اس بلاگ کو ٹائپ کرنے کے لیے جدوجہد کی ہے۔
اپنی تکلیف کے باوجود میں ایک ویبنار میں شرکت کرنے اور کمیونٹی کے ممبران کے بارے میں ویڈیوز ریکارڈ کرنے میں کامیاب ہو گی جو اس میں شامل ہونے میں دلچسپی کا اظہار کرتے ہیں۔
میں دماغی صحت اور خودکشی کی تربیت کے بارے میں کچھ سیشنز میں شامل ہوے۔
ان سیشنز کا اہتمام THRIVE LDN نے کیا تھا۔