Every day your small actions have a ripple effect around the world, touching the poor for better or worse. You can make sure you’re living justly by choosing fair trade.
Your cuppa can do you and the people who produce it good. Buy it fairly traded and not only do you get tasty tea, but the tea-workers get a fair price. Fairtrade tea is available in your local supermarket, Oxfam or wholefood shop.
'My situation feels wonderful. To maintain and educate my family is a big achievement for me and Fairtrade has helped me to do this,' says Alex Yeboah-Afari, who works on the Volta River Estates Fairtrade banana plantation in Ghana, which supplies OKE Fairtrade bananas to UK shops.
Tearcraft gives jobs, fair wages and dignity to craft workers in 13 different countries. In return, fair trade employers are expected to emphasise biblical values such as love, justice and service. This bag comes from one such Tearcraft group.
Chocoholic? Get your fix with a Fairtrade-marked bar, such as Dubble or Divine. Asda, Boots, Co-op, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Somerfield, Bells, Blockbuster Video, Booths, Iceland, Jacksons, Safeway, Spar, Tesco, Waitrose, Whistlestops, garages and health food shops all stock them. There really is no excuse…!
Grab a coffee: out in town and fancy a coffee? Try Costa Coffee. For just 10p more, you can get it fair trade (you need to ask). Or if Starbucks is more your style, ask for their own fair trade brand.
All photos: Jim Loring/Tearfund