This month I continued to heal from surgery for a ruptured cyst,
completed my eighth Six Items Challenge 2020 with Labour Behind The Label and
embraced Ramadan 2020 under Covid-19 conditions by participating in Observing Ramadan in Britain/Overseas Research project.
For those that don't know I was admitted to hospital after a few weeks of excruciating pain in my left ovary and required urgent surgery.
My cyst was removed 17th March 2020.
My consultant informed me that the cyst had ruptured and had welded itself to my colon and left ovary. He removed the white ruptured cyst cleaned me up. but could not see any signs of Endometriosis or PCOS due to inflammation.
I was in two minds about attaching photographs of my ruptured cyst and decided against it.
Thank you to all my friends and family who sent get well messages.
Sabeena Ahmed supporting the Six Items Challenge 2020
with Labour Behind The Label, Dubai, UAE
Sabeena at the beach supporting the Six Items Challenge 2020
with Labour Behind The Label, Dubai, UAE
I'm participating in the Six Items Challenge with Labour Behind The Label. This year the challenge commences
26th February - 9th April 2020.
I have decided to participate and support the Six Items Challenge for the eighth year because I started to campaign for garment and factory workers while caring for my mother who had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.
The six items challenge means I choose six items of clothing to wear for six weeks.
Don't worry!
This does not include under garments or exercise gear. You can wear an endless supply of these. :)
This year I hope to up-cycle some of the clothes my mother purchased for me before she passed away.
It is a long term ambition to design a fairtrade slow fashion collection in memory of my beautiful mother Mrs Meshar Mumtaz Bano and support fair trade certified cotton farmers, sustainable and ethical producers.
My beloved mother was a great advocate for women's empowerment and education.
I believe she would have been happy and proud of me to continue my campaigning for the millions of countless individuals producing clothes and accessories in factories and workshops around the world.
Hopefully by the end of the Six Week Challenge I would have educated a few people and raised a few pounds/dirhams.
Fast fashion is a term the fashion industry uses to entice consumers to purchase new trends, products and accessories every six to eight weeks. Some collections can be produced within a 12 day time frame.
Most of the products are cheap, poor quality and mass produced by workers in factories, work shops around the world.
Workers are paid low salaries, endure long hours and work in poor conditions to support their families.
Many are as young as 14 are the only bread winners and often forfeit the chance of a decent education and future
Many factories use hazardous chemicals to dye their fabrics and this water is discharged into rivers and the sea polluting eco systems and depleting fish stocks.
I hope to record vlogs and raise awareness about garment workers over the next coming weeks.
Best regards to all the Six Items Challenge participants.
Love and regards
Sabeena X
I hope to add a link to the Six Items Challenge 2020 blog soon.
I expressed interest to participate in the Observing Ramadan in Britain Photo Research project.
This project was conceived by a Phd researcher Laura Jones - Cardiff University. I've been asked to take a photograph of every day of Ramadan and provide a short explanation of each photograph
Ramadan Mubarak/Kareem to all my friends and family around the world.
#StayHomeLiveFair Poster with Sabeena Ahmed
WFTO Campaign for Covid-19
#PlanetFairTrade - World Fair Trade Day 2020 Campaign
Share a favourite fair trade product, recycled bicycle chain by Noahs Ark Int
Labour Behind The Label Poster with Sabeena Ahmed
Six Items Challenge 2020
Home made banana bread to continue with my zero waste efforts and use up all those brown bananas I didn't have the heart to throw in the bin.
Home made banana bread cooked
Delicious home made banana bread
Labour Behind The Label Covid-19 Campaign
Clean Clothes Campaign #PayUp Campaign
Dates wish they were fairtrade :(
Firing of the canon to open the fast at the Atlantis Hotel Palm Jumeirah,
Ramadan 2020 under Covid-19 conditions
20th Anniversary of the International Fair Trade Towns Global movement
Zoom meeting, 27th April 2020
Deaf Awareness April 2020 Zoom Meeting organised by the Manchester Women's Institute
Fairtrade Mark on a box of Fairtrade Green and Jasmine tea
A box of Fairtrade Green and Jasmine tea to help with my terrible indigestion
We Love NHS and all carers poster
Unfinished
This month I continued to recover from my right shoulder treatment.
I remotely attend two webinars about 'Understanding the home décor
and textile and apparel market.'
These webinars were organised by ITC.
This month I continued to recover from my right shoulder treatment.
I managed to attend a World Social Enterprise Day 2024 remote webinar.
I have updated my blog I wrote in 2021 about living with invisible disabilities and chronic pain.
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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.
© 2025 The Little Fair Trade Shop. “We love to listen to our customers and for this reason we would be delighted to hear from you if you would like a bespoke fair trade product made especially for you.”
The Little Fair Trade Shop Ltd
Registered in England & Wales
Company Number 08189489
