As a passionate advocate for fairtrade and ethical slow fashion I decided to enroll on the Future Learn 'Who Made Your Clothes?' Course with the University of Exeter.
This online course is free but you can receive a certificate and unlimited access to resources and materials for $39 which is approximately £30 depending on the exchange rate.
I thoroughly enjoyed the course and my participation with all the other candidates.
I also enrolled on the second course Social Enterprise: Turning Ideas into Action.
Lesson 3.11, all participants were asked to submit a video about their social enterprise and enter the International Social Innovation Challenge 2016.
I won my social pitch and would like to congratulate Palma Milicevic and Emma Butler who were awarded consultancy and support.
Thank you to all the candidates who entered and voted for me.
Many thanks to Dr Sara Calvo, Jeremy Wade and all the other mentors.
Best wishes to everyone with their social enterprises.
This years World Fair Trade Organization campaign was 'Agent For Change', Human Chains for Fair Trade and the Planet.
I am very grateful to the beautiful ladies at the Dubai Business Women Council who very kindly modelled the Agent for Change posters for me.
I also managed to go to Jumeirah beach and conduct an impromptu beach photo shoot near the iconic Burj Al Arab.
Best wishes to all fairtrade producers, artists, supporters, volunteers and friends around the world for being the voice and change for social, environmental and trade justice.
RESPECT, STAY STRONG, PEACE AND BLESSINGS!
Sabeena
This month I completed the WFTO Asia - Introduction to Gender course and my Six Items Challenge 2017.
Attended The Muslim Lifestyle Show said hello to the Macmillan Cancer Support volunteers and purchased fairtrade dates from the Zaytoun stand.
Travelled to Manchester, UK to pay respects to my parents. A year has passed since my beautiful mother passed away from metastatic breast cancer.
Enjoyed a vegetarian lunch and interviewed Dr Sara Parker who has designed two fairtrade puppet sets with fairtrade producers in Nepal.
Celebrated Fashion Revolution Week.
Continued to mentor and support my World Pulse Change Maker Joanna in Poland.
Last year I had a couple of lovely online conversations with Abi Weeds Managing Director and Emma Hopewell of Odylique - Essential (Organics) Ltd.
I was particularly interested to support Odylique as it is a leading brand of cosmetics based in the United Kingdom that pride them selves on promoting their organic, vegan, fairtrade, cruelty free ethos and specialise in treating problematic sensitive, reactive and allergy prone skin.
For the sixth consecutive year I'm participating and supporting Labour Behind The Label and their innovative concept raising awareness about fast fashion by fasting for fashion.
The Six Items Challenge simply means that for six weeks I will be wearing six items of every day clothing, don't worry I am entitled to an endless supply of undergarments and exercise gear.
Why?
I care about the millions of countless individuals producing clothes and accessories in factories and workshops around the world who deserve a decent living wage and good working conditions.
If you would like to participate or support Labour Behind The Label's work click to read more.
This January I met with the editor of the UAE's first online ethical website Ethical Desk.
Had dinner with the UAE's first female weightlifter.
Was chosen as a World Pulse Vision Mentor.
Found a lump in my left breast, had it removed and went for genetic testing.
Connected with Patty McNally World Pulse Mentor Coordinator Portland, Oregon and organised a Skype chat with my World Pulse Change Maker Joanna Smieja, Warsaw, Poland.
This December I received an email from Dr Sara Calvo, Professor at the Middlesex University London Business School to say I had won 3rd place in the International Social Innovation Challenge 2016 organised by the Middlesex University Business School. Many congratulations and best wishes to the other winners Ms Palma Milicevic and Ms Emma Butler for their social enterprise ideas.
Could I also praise everyone who entered the challenge, your ideas were inspirational and I am grateful to everyone for their support.
From the 7-10 December I participated at the Swiss Business Council Christmas Market, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
I also created my World Pulse profile to raise awareness for fairtrade and ethical producers and ethical consumerism in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
This November I finally managed to meet with Heather Masoud and the team at Zaytoun.
I had an instrumental and life changing meeting to discuss fairtrade with the Muslim Council of Britain, attended a debate organised by the Brent Fairtrade Network about the future of fairtrade.
Produced bean to bar chocolate with Bruce Crowther MBE in Garstang and enjoyed a beautiful Emirati lunch with Mr Andy Biggs Chief Operating Officer at Traidcraft and his wife at the wonderful Sheikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding, Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.
This October I was delighted to be interviewed for Anti-Poverty Week by marketing strategist and humanitarian Anna Sadeghpour for her blog Anahata Dubai's Community Service Blog.
Volunteered with the Pink Caravan UAE team for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Visited Ms Le Thant Thuy and Dr Mike Thair of Indochine Natural and met artists at the Stepping Stone Centre, Penang, Malaysia
Was nominated for an Environmental Award by the Super Sisters of Dubai.
This October we are honoured to have been featured in an interview by Dubai writer and digital marketing strategist Anna Sadeghpour. Read our interview below:
October 16 marks the first day of Anti-Poverty Week, a week dedicated to strengthening public understanding of the causes and consequences of poverty and hardship around the world. I met with the spirited Sabeena Ahmed, creator and owner of online store The Little Fair Trade Shop. To say the least, Sabeena is a beautiful lady on a big mission! At the forefront of the fairtrade movement in the UAE, she’s all about promoting the principles of fairtrade as a means to fight poverty.
Fair Trade Lebanon
In this month recap I've talked about my Ramadan reflections and participating in my first ever International Fair Trade Towns Conference 2016, Baskinta, Lebanon.
Fair trade Banana Lesson Plan
I was invited to teach fairtrade to a group of 25 children at the Star International School, Mirdif, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The children were enthusiastic and eager to learn about fairtrade.
I decided to introduce the banana supply chain and used role play cards for them to understand and emphasise with the difficulties and challenges faced by farmers and banana workers.
My Visit to Traidcraft
I recently visited Alistair Menzies at Traidcraft's head office, Gateshead, UK and was invited to provide input for a video the Traidcraft team is producing for FairtradeUAE.
This was my second visit to Gateshead and I was interested to learn about Traidcraft's new initiatives and fair trade products.
Sign up to get the latest on fair trade fashion.
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
