Inspiration and Motivation

image55

FAIR TRADE IS ABOUT PROMOTING CREATIVITY

Ana Piedrahita saw discarded orange peels next to one of the many freshly squeezed orange juice vendors on the streets of Bogata, Columbia. Her mind began to create whimsical designs - jewelry, Christmas ornaments, boxes. Piel Acida was born in 1997 and today employs 32 artisans in Columbia. "At Piel Acida we love to use our hands, play and create. Our handcrafts reflect what we found everyday in ourselves: thoughts, images, experiences and emotions." Fair trade inspires all of us to let our creativity fly to places we have yet to dream possible.

image56

FAIR TRADE IS ABOUT UNITING AS ONE GLOBAL FAMILY

Nancy Dunitz designs beautiful beaded jewelry in her home in Hollywood, California. She sought out to follow a lifelong dream to employ women living in the third world countries she liked to visit. "I started with Guatemala because it was only six versus 36 hours away," laughs Nancy. "And, I felt it was important to learn the intricacies of product distribution before venturing into the Asian market. But once I spent time in Guatemala — building my product line and meeting the friends and designers I now consider my 'second family' — I found I didn't need or want to go anywhere else." Fair trade unites designers, creators, consumers into relationship so that we can come closer to understanding one another as brother and sister.

image57

FAIR TRADE IS ABOUT CHOOSING JUSTICE

Nana Frimpong Abrebrese seized an opportunity to organize cocoa farmers in Ghana who were being cheated out of the full value of their produce because of rigged scales. The cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo, now represents 45,000 cocoa farmers and has a stake in the first farmer-owned chocolate company in the world, Divine Chocolate Limited. Most of the cocoa is grown by small-scale family farmers on 4-5 acres of land. In Paul Ayepah's village there is now a water well. "We used to fetch water from streams but it was not good water," he says. "Please buy more fair trade chocolate because we make good quality cocoa and we sell it to Divine. The right beans make good chocolate and we get money to develop our communities." Fair trade brings justice to whole communities and lives are transformed because we are practicing fairness for all workers.

image58

FAIR TRADE IS ABOUT JOY

My own spirituality is rooted in the Christian faith. I am an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, but I deeply respect and honor other faith traditions as well. I know that God is yearning for all of humanity to know and practice justice. I know that God is pleased when we hold one another in our hearts, united as family. I know that God delights when we share the unique gifts given to each one of us. I believe with my whole heart that God is calling all of us to participate in a fair and just practice of trading goods with one another. I delight when you excel in your gift-giving and when you are treated with respect. And I know that all of humanity is strengthened when each of us is allowed to "sing with all the skill at your command" as the psalmist encourages us. Indeed, the angels with all of heaven, even heaven here on earth, unite with God in rejoicing when we practice fair trade.