Fairtrade brings economic justice

Fr Shay Cullen promoting the Preda Fair Trade products.

In the Columban bags given out at the Columban Centenary Mass in Southwark Cathedral UK, were packets of dried mangos, a *Preda Fair Trade product. They were provided free of charge by Forest Feast, a company in Northern Ireland committed to responsible sourcing.

At a conference of the Justice and Peace Network, founder of Preda Fair Trade in the Philippines, Fr Shay Cullen spoke about the role of fair trade in overcoming poverty.

Juan and Maria de la Costa are a poor farmer couple living with three children in the mountains of Zambales, 140 kilometres north of Manila. They have lived in poverty, making a living from planting vegetables, collecting honey and gathering mango fruits to sell in the market many kilometres away. Like millions of impoverished indigenous people they are subsistence farmers, surviving on what they can grow on spare public lands they don’t own.

Juan knows nothing of the causes of his poverty. He only knows that the traders in the towns will only give him four or five pesos a kilo for his Pico mangos and he knows they are worth three times that amount. But if he does not sell them for the low price they will quickly rot in the hot tropical climate. It’s not worth his hard work and long walk into the town with a heavy sack of mangos. So, much fruit has been left on the ground. Greed and injustice and the total lack of government help is behind his hardship. His children will remain poor and uneducated.

At least that is how it was until Preda Fair Trade came to his village and offered to buy his mangos at three times what the traders were paying.

Preda Fairtrade Mongoes

Fair trade is the movement that brings economic justice and livelihood with dignity to hundreds of thousands of poor people around the world. Preda Fair Trade is a leader in the movement since 1980. The good people of conscience who want to live out values and principles and put them into practice in meaningful practical ways turn to buying Preda Fair Trade dried mangoes in UK supermarkets. They who believe in reaching out and helping the people who need help most will buy fair trade products like Preda dried mangos.

Trying to alleviate poverty keeps children in their villages going to school and away from human traffickers. I have been actively helping many poor farmers through paying fair prices for their mango fruits. The project helps small farmers, indigenous people, and artisans who meet the criteria of fair trade and fairly-produced products. The benefits and earnings return to help the producers and farmers and a percentage goes to help abused children get shelter, therapy, justice, and care.

Some of those earnings also go to protect and improve the environment by tree planting and helping children who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and abuse. Preda Fair Trade and our partners and supporters oppose the trade in human persons and help survivors.

Preda dried mangos are fairly produced, chemical free with no additives, and naturally sweet and low sugar if so desired. The people are not exploited and the benefits are for the small farmers and victims of exploitation. The customers are partners with us in helping the poor to be poor no more.

Fairtrade is one of the best ways to help people overcome injustice, oppression, and poverty and to have a life of dignity.

*Preda: People’s Recovery, Empowerment and Development Assistance: www.predafairtrade.net.

Ellen Teague is the Media Coordinator for the Columban Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation (JPIC) team in London.

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