What's this big fuss about Fair Trade ?
Fair trade is about better deals and better prices for disadvantaged and marginalised people from developing countries. It stands for a fair and sustainable trading practice that benefits producers who are being discriminated and exploited by conventional trading method. Under conventional trading method, the poor producers have to work very hard from dawn to dusk, their meagre earning is hardly enough to buy them square meals.Often,they are at the mercy of the rich middlemen who would often haggle and exploit them. In most cases, the producers are born with nothing, live with nothing and die with nothing.However, through fair trade,this sad cycle of trading system can be changed.By cutting out the middlemen,the trader deals directly with the producers and pay a fair price for the products.This enable the poor producer to earn better income,sustain his livelihood,improve his standard of living and those around him,it also improves his self esteem and confidence.We can say fair trade can bring about positive and holistic changes in the lives of the poor producers.
So next time you push your trolley in the supermarket,remember you can make a big difference by buying fairtrade products, and by the way who says fairtrade is just about tea and coffee? There's a whole range of fairtrade products in the market today;from fine wines to clothings,fashion accessories to home accessories to name a few.Just remember it's all up to me and you to make a difference,each one of us can use our purchasing power in favour of the poor people.
