I spent most of August 2016 with my siblings in London and mustered the energy to board a train to historical York to visit Shared Earth and talk with founder and owner Jeremy Piercy.
Many thanks to David Piercy for his time and support during my visit.
I would like to introduce you to another leading fairtrade pioneer and champion of the fairtrade movement of the United Kingdom, Ms Christina Longden.
Christina is a humanitarian, an accomplished author and Director (Fundraising/Information) at The Lorna Young Foundation.
The FIG Tree Garstang/Lancaster, United Kingdom
I first visited The Fig Tree October 2011 when it was a mere shell and was invited to a fair trade tea party, August 2012.
The enthusiasm, passion and the warm welcome I received was overwhelming and humbling. I was impressed by its amazing transformation.
I revisited The Fig Tree November 2016 where I was invited to participate in a Chocolate Master Class with the Godfather of Fairtrade Bruce Crowther MBE.
I fulfilled a life time ambition to visit Pakistan December 2011 and February 2015 and met the only two fair trade certified organisations in Karachi and Rawalpindi.
I also conducted interviews with a government official and non profit organisations who are working towards implementing the ten principles of fair trade. Each organisation has a dual role and purpose;
1. to support rural artisans establish and develop strong sustainable projects and
2. revive traditional skills and techniques.
I have attached interviews with Fairtrade and NGO's I visited during December January 2011/12 and February/March 2015.
THE DOMINION TRADERS
SABAH PAKISTAN
THE RA'ANA LIAQUAT CRAFTMEN'S COLONY
THE HOME BASED WOMEN'S WORKERS FEDERATION
AHAN - AIK HUNAR AIK NAGAR
KAARVAN CRAFTS - PRIDE PAKISTAN
AL FALAH TRUST AND EMBROIDERY PROJECT
The Ra'ana Liaquat Craftmen's Colony
Income Generation Programme
The Ra'ana Liaquat Craftmen's Colony was founded by Begum Ra'ana Liaquat, 1954.
I visited their inspirational headquarters and observed training workshops where ladies were taught to produce beautiful up-cycled products.
Mrs Nisreen was happy to share her story and work experiences. It was wonderful to learn how the income generation programme had empowered her and given her the opportunity to supplement her income by designing crochet products.
The Dominion Traders
Fairly traded Marble and Onyx Producers
The Dominion Traders have been promoting fair trade in Pakistan since 1947.
I had the good fortune of interviewing Mr Syed Fahad Ali, Chief Executive Officer and his team of talented artisans when I visited their offices and factory, December 2011.
Since it's inception the organisation has supported approximately 60 employees who are treated with the utmost love and respect. Employees receive fair wages, are employed in good working conditions and are provided with medical care.
KAARVAN CRAFTS - PRIDE PAKISTAN
Kaarvan's mission is to be a fairtrade market leader by producing and retailing affordable and sophisticated hand crafted products in local and export markets.
It provides employment opportunities and marketing and advisory services to women and girls in low income communities so that they can enhance their economic realities.
During Ramadan my husband decided to take a weeks annual leave to Kuala Lumpur and I was luckily enough to accompany him.
I'd never visited Malaysia during Ramadan so I felt privileged to see Malaysia from an fasting perspective.
I enjoyed visiting the Butterfly Park which was an oasis of calm and tranquility in the concrete jungle but didn't like the netting.
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.
This month I continued my Six Items Challenge 2017 with Labour Behind The Label.
Received an edited version of my interview with my Creative Director Mrs Helen Barlow Scott of The One Line Ethical Design Studio.
Attended two events at the Emirates Airline Literature Festival.
Met Jo Malone and presented her with fairtrade chocolate and a fairtrade breast cancer bag produced by ladies at Friends Handicraft Nepal.
Attended the BE BOLD FOR CHANGE event at the Dubai Lit Fest.
Conducted an impromptu photoshoot for Odylique and the Six items Challenge.
Continued mentoring my World Pulse Change Maker in Poland.
Enrolled on the WFTO Asia's Course - Introduction to Gender
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.
Late December 2016 I decided to apply as a World Pulse Change Maker.
I sent my application and hoped for the best.
I received a message from the World Pulse team early January 2017 to inform me that I had been selected as a World Pulse Vision Mentor.
I was surprised by their message as I didn't believe I was qualified to mentor anyone.
As they say the rest is history.
This February I participated in the Terry Fox Run Dubai and heard from Judith Fox.
Attended Bride Dubai with Mrs Saima Tahqiq.
Conducted a Skype conversation with Daniel Schiff of Ashoka and Fabrics of Change.
Prepared for fairtrade fortnight 2017 and welcomed my web designer and friend Helen Barlow Scott of the One Line Ethical Design Studio to Dubai.
Conducted an impromptu photo shoot and video with Helen for fairtrade fortnight Dubai 2017.
Met Andrej Smok Director of Proft Eco + Fair and Wholesale Manager-Grocery at Traidcraft.
Continued mentoring and supporting my Change maker Joanna in Poland.
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.
I have been campaigning for fairtrade and ethical producers and ethical consumerism in my beloved home city of Manchester, London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the past 14 years.
One of greatest accomplishments is converting my mother to fairtrade products before she returned to her maker.
As the only fair trade campaigner, educator and modest retailer in the United Arab Emirates I have struggled to create a niche market for fair trade products.
Nevertheless, I have never lost heart and am more determined than ever to dispel the myth about fair trade being ''charity.''
It was a wonderful experience to meet Professor Mohammad Yunus at Salford University.
A privilege to discuss fair trade with Dr Jamil Sherif and Mrs Naseema Begum at the Muslim Council of Britain November 2016.
Thank you World Pulse for your compassion and love and for your support in raising my voice as a Muslim Female Social Entrepreneur.
I continue to educate people about fair trade artisans and groups by promoting the principles of a living wage, self-reliance, empowerment, transparency, environmental sustainability and dignity and self respect for all.
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.
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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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