This year I celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 Dubai, UAE with my sister Irem.
Irem introduces Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE
This year the Fairtrade Foundation UK's campaign is all about the women, who grow the cocoa in the chocolate. The hashtag is #SHEDESERVES.
I was so pleased to learn about the House of Commons UK also supports Fairtrade Fortnight 2020.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 at the House of Commons, UK
A Typical Cocoa Farmer in Cote D'Ivoire earns around 74p a day
Credit and Source Fairtrade Foundation UK
£1.86* is the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income.
Currently, a typical cocoa farmer in Cote d’Ivoire lives on around 74p** a day. Almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty.
Take the Chocolate Challenge by clicking here
Irem Ahmed supporting Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 Dubai, UAE -#SheDeserves
Sabeena modelling the fairtrade bag at Jumeirah Beach, Dubai
Divine Chocolate bars
Irem Ahmed supporting Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 Dubai, UAE
Divine fairtrade chocolate
Fairtrade literature, Fairtrade Fortnight 2019 leaflet, stickers,
and Campaign Resource Pamphlet
Irem learns about fairtrade
This is question I get asked the most when people meet me.
Last year I was fortunate to visit Ms Moon Sharma of Tara Projects, Dehli, India and conducted a wonderful interview with her in English and Hindi/Urdu.
In this interview Ms Sharma explains what Fairtrade is in Hindi/Urdu.
What is Fairtrade, Fairtrade Kya Hai? Hindi/Urdu
Here is a lovely diagram produced by Traidcraft
I dedicate my interviews with Pakistani fairtrade producers The Dominion Traders and women's organisation (APWA) - The Ra'ana Liaquat Craftsman's Colony, Karachi, to my beloved Nani jaan (grandmother), Shamsun Nisa who returned to her maker this morning.
May God, Allah azza wa'ajal bless you with Paradise, Aameen!
Sabeena Ahmed with her maternal late grandmother Shamsun Nisa modelling a
Support Fairtrade T-shirt, Karachi, Pakistan
The Dominion Traders
The Ra'ana Liaquat Craftmans Colony
Thank you @FairtradeUK for all these fab fairtrade resources.
Love chocolate support fairtrade farmers like Rosine.
Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 Resources
Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 Resources Credit: Fairtrade Foundation UK
Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 Resources
Credit: Fairtrade Foundation UK
Love chocolate?
So do I!
I had the good fortune to attend a chocolate master class with Bruce Crowther MBE, November 2016.
I spent a productive morning learning how to produce fairly traded bean to bar chocolate.
Many thanks to Bruce Crowther MBE for his time, patience and compassion.
I managed to present the chocolate I made that day to Nadiya Hussain and Jo Malone. 
Interview with Bruce Crowther MBE
To read about my Chocolate Master Class with Bruce Crowther MBE kindly click here.
TEACHING FAIR TRADE AT THE MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL, DUBAI,
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
I was invited by Manor Primary School and children of Year 5 to talk about fair trade.
Sabeena Ahmed with Mrs Mercer and Year 5 at the Manor Primary School
We started the lesson with the Chocolate Song.
The children watched a fairtrade video about Tayna a young girl who visited cocoa farmers and their communities in the Dominican Republic.
Children learnt about the fair trade price, fair trade social premium, social standards and environmental standards.
We ended the session by taking photographs of the children wearing fair trade certified cotton T-shirts, holding the fair trade banner and wearing banana costumes.
Year 5 and Mrs Mercer - Manor Primary School, Dubai
The children showed their support for fair trade and we ended the session with lots of photographs/happy memories.
I hope the lesson will encourage the children to support fairtrade in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.
To read about my lesson at the Manor Primary School, Dubai kindly click on the link.
Review of my Fairphone2, 17418.
I'm proud to say I am the owner of a Fair Phone 2 - No 17,418!!!
Although, expensive at 450 Euros, the Fairphone2 is the must have alternative smart phone for any ethically conscious consumer aspiring to actively support climate change and circular economy.
To read and watch my review of my Fairphone2 kindly click here.
Fair Trade Ethical Living
Odylique Product Review, Videos and Photo shoot
During 2016 I had a couple of lovely online conversations with
Abi Weeds Managing Director and Emma Hopewell of Odylique - Essential Care (Organics) Ltd.
I was particularly interested to support Odylique as it is a leading brand of cosmetics and natural skin care based in the United Kingdom.
The company prides itself on promoting their organic, vegan, fairtrade, cruelty free ethos and specialise in treating problematic sensitive, reactive and allergy prone skin.
I hope to write more reviews this year particularly for those of us who suffer from painful acne and sensitive skin.
Many thanks to the Odylique team for their kind words of encouragement.
This year I celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE with my sister Irem.
I asked Irem to introduce Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, the UAE.
Irem introduces Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE
This year the Fairtrade Foundation UK's campaign is all about the women, who grow the cocoa for the chocolate we eat.
The hashtag is #SHEDESERVES.
I was so pleased to learn that the House of Commons UK also supports Fairtrade Fortnight 2020.
Thank you Irem for modelling the fairtrade bag and supporting Fairtrade Fortnight 2020 with me.
Irem Ahmed models the Fairtrade Foundation UK bag for
Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE
Irem Ahmed models the big Fairtrade Chocolate Bar Resource for
Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE
Irem Ahmed models her fairtrade story bomb for
Fairtrade Fortnight 20, Dubai, UAE
Dubai to Baskinta
During June/July 2016
I attended my first international fair trade towns conference.
The conference was held in Baskinta, Lebanon and the theme was
- Building Bridges Through Fair Trade.
After the session all the delegates had lunch and we were then entertained by traditional Lebanese dancers.
I felt very honoured and privileged to join the international fairtrade coordinators meeting and participate in the discussion about the future of the International Fair Trade Towns Movement.
Many thanks to the Fair Trade Lebanon team for their hospitality.
To read my blog and watch videos of the conference click the link below.
It was a dream come true to finally travel to the country of my parents birth, India, April 19.
I was humbled and privileged to visit two World Fair Trade Certified Organizations, M.E.S.H and Tara Projects.
Maximising employment to Serve The Handicapped, (M.E.S.H)
M.E.S.H's mission is to provide opportunities for disabled people and people affected by leprosy to achieve social and economic integration by trading.
Many thanks to Mathew K and Ms Moon Sharma for their time, care and hospitality.
To read my blog about my visit to M.E.S.H kindly click on the link here.
Interview with Alex Schmidt and Marie Louise of Valy Export, Madagascar - April 2019.
I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Alex Schmidt, Valy Export Madagascar.
I invited him and his wife Marie Louise for lunch to learn more about their fair trade business.
During the visit I politely asked if the couple would like to participate in an interview, they agreed.
Introduction Interview in English and Malagasy
To watch the entire interview with Alex and Marie Louise kindly click on the link here.
The World Fair Trade Organization's Communications team asked me to share the names of inspirational women in my life for International Women's Day 2020.
This years campaign hashtag is #SheEmpowersMe
I chose to mention 4 ladies and invited them to continue the video challenge.
Ms Christina Longden - The Lorna Young Foundation
Ms Samini Bibi - Sabah Pakistan
Ms Roopa Mehta (Apa) - WFTO President
Ms Moon Sharma (Apa) - Tara Projects, India
The WFTO community is full of inspiring women.
I wish everyone a very happy International Women's Day 2020
#EachForEqual and #SheEmpowersMe!
Love, peace and blessings
Sabeena
To read my blog kindly click the link here.
Many thanks to my gorgeous playwright friends who agreed to be photographed for Fairtrade Fortnight 2019.
Thank you Brenda, Tvisha, Ashwarya, Padmini, Edwige, Deborah and Julia.
The gorgeous ladies celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight Dubai 2019
This year the Fairtrade Foundation are focusing on women, who grow the cocoa in the chocolate we love so much.
£1.86* is the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income.
Currently, a typical cocoa farmer in Cote d’Ivoire lives on around 74p** a day. Almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty.
To read my blog about Fairtrade Fortnight 2019, Dubai, UAE kindly click on the link here.
Edwige celebrates Fairtrade Fortnight 2019, Dubai, UAE
SHOW OFF YOUR FAIRTRADE LABEL AND SUPPORT FAIRTRADE
Sabeena Ahmed celebrates Fairtrade Fortnight 2019, Dubai, UAE
Happy and proud to support female cocoa farmers like Rosine Bekoin of the CAYAT
Co-operative, Côte d'Ivoire.
You can watch Rosine's interview below.
Happy International Women's Day to fairtrade farmers, producers and friends.
Love and regards
Sabeena
Sabeena Ahmed celebrates Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE -
Fairtrade Resource of Fairtrade bag
Sabeena Ahmed celebrates Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE -
What is Fairtrade Fortnight?
For two weeks each year, thousands of individuals, companies and groups across the UK come together to celebrate the people who grow our food, people who live in some of the poorest countries in the world and who are often exploited and badly paid.
As the only fairtrade campaigner in the United Arab Emirates since 2008 I have been supporting fairtrade fortnight and hope my blogs will inspire others to get involved and support fairtrade.
This year the Fairtrade Foundation are focusing on the people – in particular the women – who grow the cocoa in the chocolate we love so much.
This years Fairtrade Fortnight Campaign is She Deserves.
She Deserves - Don't Feed Exploitation Choose Fairtrade
£1.86* is the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income.
Currently, a typical cocoa farmer in Cote d’Ivoire lives on around 74p** a day. Almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty.
For the women the situation is even worse. They may plant and harvest on the farm, look after children, carry water, collect wood, cook and clean for the family, and transport the cocoa beans to market but often with fewer rights than men.
I'm campaigning with millions of others for a living income to become a reality for cocoa farmers in West Africa.
Change can happen if we tell governments, chocolate companies and retailers to make the commitments and policies necessary, then we can make it happen.
Dates: Monday 24 February - Sunday 8 March 2020
THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE: UNWRAPPING THE BAR
Rosine Bekoin is a mum of five, cocoa farmer and member of CAYAT co-operative in Côte d’Ivoire.
Rosine is slightly unusual as cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire go because she owns and runs her 2.5-hectare farm, which was passed to her from her mother.
Normally it is men who own farms and earn the income from them. Rosine first sold her cocoa as Fairtrade in 2016.
You can watch Rosine's interview below.
Ebrottié is married with 6 children, and has been farming cocoa since 1992. He is also the General Secretary of his cooperative, CEAA.
If you would like to support fair trade please read about fair trade coffee, cotton, tea, sugar, bananas, gold, flowers or chocolate and get involved.
Please read the following links
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Bananas
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Chocolate
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Coffee
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Gold
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Cotton
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Flowers
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Sugar
https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/Buying-Fairtrade/Tea
SHOW OFF YOUR FAIRTRADE LABEL AND SUPPORT FAIRTRADE
Irem Ahmed modelling the fairtrade bag
Sabeena Ahmed celebrates International Women's Day and Fairtrade Fortnight 2020, Dubai, UAE - She Deserves and Each For Equal
Sabeena Ahmed and The Little Fair Shop in the United Arab Emirates
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۔
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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.
© 2024 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
