This is our first exposure to literature on the Fair Trade movement. What I was first interested to learn is the history pre-dating free trade and the evolution of the movement.
I never made the connection between the artisans from ancient civilizations that fueled the regions economies as a precursor to the Free Trade movement. However, looking at the evolution of industries and the state of certain developing countries, these artisans are still producing goods whether it is through factories for large corporations, or their own smaller jobs to support themselves. Regardless of the situation, many people who have craft and manufacturing jobs work in poor conditions, are underpaid and have little stability. Starting in the 1940s, different people noticed these issues and by 1988 the Netherlands began Fair Trade Certification. The Fair Trade movement is significant as it is a way for individuals with the skills for craft jobs to be given a fair wage for their work.
I was also impressed with the Fair Trade business examples and stories which are presented in the article.
I thought the model of the Action Bag company located in Saidpur was a good set up for a fair trade business. Employees are given a salary as well as money entered into a savings account. At a certain monetary level, employees are able to access the savings account and use that money to start their own business. This allows for employees to make a fair wage while also having the security to continue on an independent economic path. Sacred Mark, another fair trade company, also had an impressive element to their enterprise. All of the soap products are sealed with a wax fingerprint of the artistan who created the product to indicate the individuality behind the product. I think this is an excellent way.

I was glad to about the birth of the Fair Trade movement, and I am so happy that each assignment for this class truly reshapes the way I think in my everyday life. All stemming from the metaphor that God has sculpted man from his hands, these pages underscore our roles as humans: to imprint our identity onto someone or something--whether it be handicrafts, an impoverished child we help, or through decisions we make as a conscious consumer. We have a role to make a difference.
What frustrates me, as I watch these documentaries, and read on Fair Trade, is that women my age do not have the same opportunities as me. They can have the same IQ, but with little education, and unfair social treatment, their goals are reduced to catering to the men's wishes. Women having a voice in society? What is that? It is a chilling idea for me, as I was so prolific with Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean in:Women's Will and the Power to Work."
22 year old Shilpi, just 3 years older than me, has been working her whole life, was raped, lost her father at age 15, is taunted by her forced sexual relations with villagers, and continues to beg on the streets as a sex slave.
It was so enlightening to hear of the "Just Coffee" organization in Quebec that started from scratch, selling to few customers. This reminded me of my own bed cover project, and gave me hope that with the proper marketing campaign, this can become a great financial benefit and raise awareness of FT.
A great fact I learned that I can tell people now is that FT's goal is not to raise money, as denoted by the UN's slogan "Trade not Aid." It is to improve the trading system in order to help the people that make these products.
As I look around my surroundings, I cannot help but to think that an individual-- someone thinking about their children, their financial problems, what they would eat for dinner, created that product that I am using.

After reading Fair Trade a Human Journey, I learned that there is more injustice in the world than I was aware of. This explains families in poverty, women selling themselves, and children working hard for little to no pay. This put into perspective just how much Fair Trade can help those in need. The Charity Foundation allowed mothers to put food on the table and send their children to school which enough for the single mothers in Bangladesh. There are many single mothers that have to support themselves and their children. They are now able to because of the Mennoite Center Committee. This allowed me to see just how much fair trade can impact another person’s life for the better.

Another surprising discovery are the women in Mymensingh’s red light district that sell themselves for money. The women have lived through a great deal of pain even at their young ages. One woman worked as a maid and was raped, but could not afford to take them to court. To know people are stripped of their human rights is heartbreaking and tragic. The girl explains “her father had to go from door to door to beg for a little rice […] I started working in the streets.” Then she explains that she agrees with one man and more jump on her and some do not even pay her and beat her. To hear a personal story of rape is very compelling. It makes you want to help in any way one can.

The pictures in the book tell a story as well. The picture show real people and pain. The pictures show little children in poverty, adults working hard for little pay, and sadness in their eyes. The pictures are just as compelling as the stories. In many of the pictures, the people are hard at work and we know for little money. The human rights are stripped of these people. The faces allow a personal experience to show through. When emotions and people are involved, it makes more of an impact.

I learned there are more Fair Trade opportunities for people. Even though it may not have as many sales as other businesses, these sales are making a difference in people’s lives. They are giving them more opportunity and life. The book states that “the current success of fair trade is proof that trade can life people out of poverty when conditions are fair.” There would be less poverty if people bought these products and were more aware of them. To change the system would be to improve the way of life. It amazes how much our spending can affect others in a positive way. This book has made me more aware of the people and issues behind the products we use.

Reading “Fair Trade: a Human Journey” really opened my eyes to how important it is for fair trade to exist. So many people, particularly women have no rights and cannot provide for themselves. It is so important for organizations like the MCC to reach out to the oppressed people in communities around the world to enable them to make money to be self-sufficient. I enjoyed reading about the different artisan organizations the MCC has set up around the world. It gives me hope that more women can go to these organizations for refuge.

The Action Bag organization really impressed me. Not only can women earn money for their embroidery, but they can save up from making 5,000 takas and withdraw that money to start their own business. It is such an entrepreneurial idea that helps women be independent, not victims of their sexist, unjust society.

Shilpi’s story really affected me. I cannot imagine what she was going through before she joined the MCC’s soap producing business, Sacred Mark. It is astonishing how women can be abused and raped with no punishment for the perpetrator. It broke my heart to hear that the only way she could make money is to get into the prostitution business where the men treated her horribly, often leaving her with no pay. Hearing her story reinforces how important it is for these artisan groups to exist, so women can get out of the vicious cycle of abuse and oppression. I am happy she is making soaps for Sacred Mark, and that she now has a small home for herself, her mother and three children.

My favorite line from the passage:
“The strength of fair trade is that it offers a very real alternative, which can be expressed every day through our consumption choices, our purchases, and the businesses we patronize.”

This idea is so important, because we as consumers have the power to support and spread awareness about fair trade organizations and the power to educate the masses of the companies that do no practice fair trade. Education is so powerful, so that consumers can make informed, ethical decisions.

The reading Fair Trade: A Human Journey even further opened my eyes to the importance of Fair Trade and the impact it has on individual's lives. Here are a couple of my thoughts after reading these passages:

When reading Fair Trade: A Human Journey, several points especially stood out to me. The first point was when the author states that women working as artisans in Bangladesh make on average about $30-$40 dollars a month, and then parallels this amount to what a manager in an industrialized country would make in just an hour.

This stark comparison was eye opening to me, but also interesting because the author goes on to say that this wage is enough for the women to feed, clothe, and educate their children. I thought that this was very telling, and revealed the differences between the lives that these women lead and life here in America, for example. To me, it is difficult to compare the two because a person in America could argue that having one person making an income of $30-$40dollars/hour for a family here in the United States would barely be enough for them to be considered living in the middle class. While the way of life is incomparable when you consider each separate income, context must also be factored in. The cost of living is so different in each area, that people in both cultures making these entirely different incomes could both be considered as living within the same class in their respective society.

Another part of the reading that resonated with me was the quote by Laurie Waridel, who says, “Like democracy, which isn’t just about going to vote from time to time, the globalization of social and environmental justice isn’t just talk. It means taking ideas and putting them into action of a daily basis.”

I thought that the author’s thoughts were particularly relevant to the discussions we have had in class for the past couple of weeks that seem to share a common thread- it is the personal choices that we make every day that are going to make the biggest difference. I thought back to when we talked about who was to blame for the atrocities that are committed in the chocolate industry, and it was brought up by one of my classmates that the person who is most at fault is one who has the most information yet fails to make any changes or take action accordingly against the injustices he or she identifies. I completely agree with this, and think that it is what Waridel is saying as well; talking about fair trade and awareness of the issue is not enough. We cannot be passive because when it comes to change, action and making changes on a personal level and on a consistent basis is what is going to make a difference.

In the first half of the article, Fair Trade: A human Journey, Pierre recounts many sad stories of Bangladesh women, and how the various charity foundations and Fair Trade organizations were able to rescue them. One of the statements that was very striking to me was how a mere $30- $40 a month can provide so much for the Bangladesh women. Pierre states: “this is what a middle manager in a rich industrialized country is paid for one hour of work, but for these women it is enough to put food on the table as well as to clothe and educate their children” (Pierre 16). Just thinking about how much money I waste on a daily basis, whether it is buying a shirt on impulse or buying a certain type of food just to try the flavor (and often end up throwing out), when these women are working so hard to provide for their family, made me angry at myself. Reading this part of the article made me re-evaluate my spending habits and made me really appreciate all that I have.

Another point I’d like to point out is how big a role these fair trade organizations have played on the lives of these women. Pierre expresses that some of the women are “rescued” from the red light districts. These women had nowhere left to go, and in order to survive, had to result to working in the red light district. One woman, Fatima, recounts her story of how she was raped by her cousin and was kicked out of her home. She had “lost everything (Pierre 28),” and had no choice but to work in the red light district. She expresses her gratitude for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) program. The program was able to give many women, including Fatima, a new life. The program was able to show these women that they too can obtain a job filled with dignity.

In the second part of the reading, regarding fair trade and globalization, one thing that stuck out to me was Pierre’s statement that fair trade must not be measured only in terms of numbers,” since you can’t “quantify hope, pride, and dignity” (Pierre 233). Up until this point, I have failed to see the association of hope, pride, and dignity with Fair Trade. From a consumer’s standpoint, I have always just thought of fair trade as raising awareness of social justice, and rooting for ethical standards. It was eye opening to read Pierre’s words and realize that Fair Trade represents so much more than what it shows.

While fair trade means movement towards social justice and ethical standards in the eyes of the consumer, to the artisans themselves, fair trade also represents “hope, pride, and dignity.” For all the artisans, Fair trade means hope of a better life and equal standards. For all the artisans, Fair Trade means pride for the work they do, and pride for the beautiful works they create. For all the artisans, Fair Trade means they can work, and earn with dignity. Learning so much about fair trade makes me even happier to purchase fair trade products.

The book titled Fair Trade: A Human Journey shows the importance of reducing the exploitation of people in third world countries. It was unfortunate to see the level of poverty that millions of people live under in order for people in industrialized to have access to luxury items at low costs. Items such as chocolate, diamonds and smart phones might make are lives easier or more enjoyable, but they do not play a crucial role in our survival. This makes this exploitation even more disturbing. It also proves that fair trade is possible since people who are able to buy luxury items money have at least some additional money to spend on fair trade certified products.

The description of the poverty situation in Bangladesh was appalling, especially the first-hand accounts of rape. Women are raped regularly and few men are held accountable for their actions. Some women turn to prostitution in order to provide for their families, but there are good chances that the man who has his way with her will not even pay her. Furthermore, he might even beat her after having raped her. Women do not even pursue justice in most cases because they don’t even have enough money to pay for legal fees. Fathers must often beg from door to door for even a single grain of rice in order to keep their children from starving. This level of poverty is shocking and it is hard to believe that this type of socioeconomic distress exists in the 21st century.

Luckily there is some hope for things to change in Bangladesh. Fair Trade initiatives made by the Mennoite Center Committee have helped oppressed women get earn a decent wage for artisan crafts. These fair trade programs are highly effective because they give these impoverished women more than simply what they need to survive. Women can save up money over a span of time until they have enough to start their own self-sufficient artisan business. These initiatives are very promising considering that they not only help impoverished individuals, but also make them self-sufficient such that they aren’t always reliant on the MCC programs.

The photographs in the book help evoke human emotions of pain and despair. They are very effective in emphasizing the gravity of the situation in impoverished nations. I believe that these pictures are even more effective than what is described in the text because it puts a face onto the pain and suffering that occurs in these places. I hope that the Fair Trade initiatives of the MCC are successful in the long term and that the program is able to expand into many other nations. The work of the MCC certainly makes the future seem a bit less bleak.

Fair trade should be the mainstream trade model, rather than the actual Unfair trade one. Its benefits spread through many aspects such as gender equality, violence reduction, wealth distribution, social stability, self-realization, and as we can see from the lecture, it is also profitable.
Businesses generate value. That added value is economically rewarded. It just makes so much sense to me that that reward goes to the people that generated the added value in the first place. If a person spends several hours a day working on crafts, production lines, harvesting or whatever licit activity, and the product of that work is profited upon, that person is entitled to a proportionate share of the profit.
The current idea of “shares” I believe, is a little bit off. We only think of them as money, and that reserves businesses’ dividends to an elite. Plus, money is this invention that didn't have a limit invented with it so it’s very prone to generate greed.
What this Fair Trade movement is incorporating is the idea that companies, and therefore their dividends, belong to the people that actually work on them on a daily basis. This opens a world of possibilities to the working class, filling whole countries with hope and a way to find a dignifying lifestyle. Plus, work has an actual physical limit, so that avoids the whole greed issue.

The concept in the selection of Fair Trade: A Human Journey that had the most profound effect on me was the rehabilitative power of the money received from various fair trade companies and programs. Even though women like Nazma and Shilpi were only making around $40-$50 per month - under $2 a day - they were able to easily take care of themselves and their children without going to any other means. Less than $2 a day could very easily help women like Shilpi move away from degrading, dangerous work such as the sex trade into more self-fulfilling and lucrative work. The positive change that these women were able to make from almost nothing was particularly moving. They did not need some gigantic donation of money funneled in from some eccentric philanthropist. They were able to change their lives for the better on as small an amount as $2 a day. This fact makes me optimistic for the work that we are doing with our various products (T-shirts, blankets, etc) on and off the cart. In this case, little shifts and small economic gains can make a noticeable difference in the lives of workers around the world. Even a few dollars from the sale of a set of bags can really make the financial difference in a worker’s life, which makes me feel like simple tasks like selling various products out of the cart could really make a substantial dent in the various financial problems of workers all over the world.

Another part of the excerpt that interested me was the amount of money that people spent on fair trade across the globe. Countries like the United Kingdom and Switzerland have become considerable centers of fair trade spending, due to the prevalence of fair trade shops such as Oxfam. Seeing that multiple highly industrialized countries can build a considerable fair trade market makes me realize that a strong fair trade market is very possible in the United States and can work, as shown in these other wealthy nations that have adopted various fair trade markets of their own. These country-specific markets show that fair trade markets can easily live in symbiosis with a capitalist system and can even thrive in difficult economic environments like the UK and that there are considerable market opportunities that can make considerable changes in the lives of countless men and women just like the Bangladeshis discussed in the reading.

Fair Trade: A Human Journey gave a deeper description of the people in third world countries who are directly benefitting from the spread of Fair Trade. It gave me a more personal view of why it is so important to contribute to the success and sustainability of a fair trade business model.

In the article, a Bangledashi woman named Shilpi recounted the rape she endured as a child. She stated that she was working as a maid for a wealthy family, where her boss raped her. Because she was poor, and he was wealthy, she was unable to take him to court for what he did. Then, her father lost his job because his daughter had been raped. Shilpi turned to prostitution to keep food on the table, where she was regularly beaten and unpaid for her services.

It is hard to imagine what she has been through because in America very few people will ever experience this in their lifetime. However, after hearing her story and knowing that there are thousands of other women in the world experiencing the exact same treatment, it is easier to see why it is so important for fair trade to continue to become more well-known and more widely practiced. It is easy for financial analysts and business executives to look at the profit margins when deciding between a fair trade business model and a traditional business model and choose to continue business as usual as a means of creating higher revenue. However, I find it extremely hard to believe that any human being could look at the benefits of fair trade versus the cost of human lives to continue mass production and cheap labor and still refuse to give fair trade a chance.

It was also very interesting to read about how much the women’s lives were changed by what we, in America, consider to be small amounts of money. At the end of the year, MCC organizations divide their profits among the workers and each woman is given a bonus of roughly $300. It was stated that this bonus almost doubles their yearly income and allows them to build a home, educate their children, and feed their families. It is unbelievable that $300 is enough to completely change someone’s life. This goes on to prove that people in developed countries have the means to change millions of lives without inconveniencing themselves al all. By simply purchasing the items that need to be purchased anyways, but buying them from fair trade organizations, we can improve the lives of people around the world in addition to helping force larger corporations to move in the direction of fair trade in an effort to meet the demands of their consumers.

I found our reading of “Fair Trade: a Human Journey” to be extremely impactful in its way of providing detailed personal accounts of people pertaining to the fair trade world, informative data about successful fair trade businesses and interesting statistics about growth rates, etc. With the combination of these factors, I found myself extremely impacted at times; however, the two most impactful moments of the reading were as follows:

I loved reading about the slogan, “Trade, not Aid,” which emerged from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). It is said that the slogan was created to, “send a message from disadvantaged countries that trade (preferably fair) is better than charity.”

I thought that this was such a good point because it plays into the idea of “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” It is easy for people to think that money is the answer to third world country problems, because it will buy them food, clothes and shelter. However, that creates an extremely dependant society which in the long run, ends up hurting more than helping. To “trade” rather than “aid” is giving these people in need a purpose--a job, a steady income, a skill and more. While trade often encounters mistreatment and unfairness, it is important for people to see both the negatives of aid and the negatives of trade to fully understand the importance of fair trade. I found the information about the Prokrittee company to be very impressive because they said that “women receive two takas per bag as salary and two takas in savings. When they accumulate $5,000 takas, they can withdraw the total sum and start their own business.” This company is a perfect example of one that develops people’s artisan skills, gives them a steady job, and then allows them to go on and expand their business and employ others, etc.

Another thing I found to be extremely impactful was the quote, “I used to earn 300-400 takas ($5) per month from my embroidery work, but since I’ve been with Action Bag, I earn 10 times more and my daughters have been able to go back to school.”

I think that it is just shocking to a) think that a woman and her children were living off of $5 a month and b) that $50 allows her daughters to go to school and essentially have their life very much improved by just $45 extra dollars. That is practically 2 movie theater tickets in NYC. Its incredible to see that a company like Action Bags is making such a big impact and I found it to be very encouraging when I read this part because I had been feeling overwhelmed at the fact that there is just so much to do/that needs to be done to help so many people that are dying or starving or being mistreated and so on but the fact that a company like Action Bags is able to thrive off of the market of bag sales and provide disadvantaged people jobs and make a $45 difference in someone’s life that allows them to send their daughters to school--that is very encouraging to me.

Fair Trade: A Human Journey has probably been my favorite assignment thus far. While the documentaries were interesting and informative, I loved learning about the birth of Fair Trade and how it got to the place that it is now. I think this reading showed how Fair Trade in general is and can continue to be a great business model, and how it directly affects people in a positive way like Shilpi and Fatima, for example.

The story surrounding the creation of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) really interested me. Doug Dirk's quote about the foundation of the MCC, "at first we weren't directly aiming at women, but rather at the most destitute and vulnerable in Bangladeshi Society" stood out to me as I found it interesting that out of the entire society it is the woman that are suffering the most. With so many new implemented laws in place in America, it is a reminder that there is a lot of growth still needed to be done in other countries and areas in the world. It seemed to me that the MCC not only helps women earn their rightful wages for the work that they do, but also provides programs for the women and introduces them "as survivors." Not workers, victims, bangladeshi women... but survivors of their past, I found that to be very empowering and special.

Part of the reason I took the class, was that I had been exposed to Fair Trade mainly through the store: Ten Thousand Villages in Houston. My family and I go here to buy our Christmas presents for family and friends and also for every day items. I have a few friends that work and volunteer in the store so when I saw the Fair Trade class I already knew the basic level of Fair Trade, but was interested to know more. Learning about the origins of Ten Thousand Villages was personal to me. I had no idea how expansive the store was. I had no idea that it was an organization that spanned out of Texas, much less America...300+ stores as well. I would never have known so much, even though I have spent quite some time in the Ten Thousand Village store. I definitely will continue to shop there as a much more informed customer.

These assignments constantly remind me of how lucky we are in America, and how so little goes such a long way in these 3rd world countries. Reading about how at the Charity Foundation women are typically paid about 30-40 dollars per month was almost incomprehensible as that is about the amount that I, and many others, spend in one day, here in America. I thought the Action Bag company idea in which the women are given 2 takas per bag as salary and two takas in savings, and then once the women reach 5,000 takas in savings they are allowed to withdraw the sum and start their own business. This provides the women much more than just a way to survive as the time proceeds. It gives them an opportunity to grow and take off, further helping themselves and their family. I found this to be, probably, the most interesting piece of the article, as most organizations are seen as a way of providing aid immediately. Providing long-term aid can be even more helpful, and is a totally different but fantastic way of approaching the fair trade situation.

Eric St-Pierre has given us the chance to experience and comprehend the journey that has surrounded fair trade. He has done a great job putting it all in perspective by providing us with detail accounts on the effect that fair trade has on woman of a culture such woman like Fatima and Shilpi which the MCC have called survivors because they have changed from what they thought they had to do, to doing something which they now have the chance and right to do. In these few pages we learn about the different products that make fair trade possible such as handicrafts by artisans and the most other common fair trade products like coffee and cocoa.
There were different points in the text that stood out to me especially the wage part of $30-$40 a month given for labor to woman weaving baskets at the Charity Foundation. While this might sound like a little to me, this is enough for them to feed their family and provide them an education as explained by Hanufa Begum who works at the Charity Foundation.
I like the time-line that is outlined in the text showing the history of fair trade and how the handicraft sector holds a special place because as the text states: “it embodied the very first germ of an idea…inside the truck of a car.” This is when Edna Ruth Byler sells pieces of embroidery from the back of her truck in Pennsylvania done by woman in Puerto Rico.
When Shipi was telling her story is was just crazy to read how, right outside of her home where she was being interviewed, Banglash men, (former clients) yelling: “Bangladeshis aren’t good enough for you anymore? You do foreigners?” It is just sad, because even though she has changed, she has to be faced with reality that her name, her reputation is tarnished forever.
This definitely was a good read because it has shown so much that has been done so far to date in Fair Trade, and while we are continuing to do so much we still can contribute more because we still have a long way to go, but change I feel is being accomplished little by little as long as we change of way of living because ultimately we do make a difference and we do have an effect on what is occurring in the world whether we know it or not.

Hello,

This article was definitely powerful with its focus on gender issues and the article's visual representations. Two things in particular grabbed my attention the most: the concept of resurrection and the fingerprints featured in the fair trade soap. They were two concepts that definitely represented the importance of fair trade and the empowerment of the worker.

In the article, it mentions a quote about the importance of resurrection in both a cultural aspect and a metaphorical aspect. Resurrection is something that we associate with death; for these women it is a present day experience. Taking these women out of the red light district and putting them into jobs where they are self sufficient is empowering to them and giving them a means to restart their lives. I feel like fair trade in this aspect give them a voice and a sense of individuality, which leads into my next focus point: fingerprints.

In the article, it states that "a fingerprint is a feature that God gives each person; we use it to emphasize the unique identity of those who make our products". I believe that implementing a sense of self is essential in establishing a strong sense of empowerment. I think that by allowing these women to literally make their mark in the products that they make is a strong foundation for women to learn that they have a voice.

First off I'd like to say that it was an interesting switch from documentaries to literature. This excerpt provided a different perspective on fair trade because it talked about the history of fair trade and the people and organizations that kick started it, rather than focus on one specific region or problem, which is what the documantaries did. However it was also powerful and emotional which I think was helped by the photographs the author chose to strategically place. I think the author did a great job of balancing information about fairtrade and telling stories about how fair trade has actually helped real people and the reader can really feel the emotion through the writing and pictures.

The history of fair trade up until now was interesting as well as new information to me, for example I did not know that the United Kingdom was the largest purchaser of fair trade goods or that Germany has one of the fastest rising imports of fair trade goods. The background information not only puts the whole movement in context but helps to show the reader where the movement is headed in the future as well. Fairtrade is an idea that as more people talk about, in more countries it gains momentum and credability.

Another part of the excerpt that I enjoyed reading was when the author talked about the woman Shilpi who was formerly a prostitue in Bangladesh. Due to the work of MCC Shilpi was able work for their soap production company and earn enough moeny to build her own house for her and her children as well as send her children to school. She most likely would not have been able to do either without the MCC.

This kind of story really makes me feel like fairtrade is an excellent way to help people. It's one thing when you buy a fairtrade product and you feel good because some farmer or artisan made an extra dollar that wouldn't have otherwise but it's a whole other thing when you hear the life story of a person whose life is so significantly cahnged for the better due to the work of a few people and a few customers. This is the type of writing and the type of story that makes the reader really think about how much the world would change if all goods were bought through fairtrade. The difference would really be astounding.

First off I'd like to say that it was an interesting switch from documentaries to literature. This excerpt provided a different perspective on fair trade because it talked about the history of fair trade and the people and organizations that kick started it, rather than focus on one specific region or problem, which is what the documantaries did. However it was also powerful and emotional which I think was helped by the photographs the author chose to strategically place. I think the author did a great job of balancing information about fairtrade and telling stories about how fair trade has actually helped real people and the reader can really feel the emotion through the writing and pictures.

The history of fair trade up until now was interesting as well as new information to me, for example I did not know that the United Kingdom was the largest purchaser of fair trade goods or that Germany has one of the fastest rising imports of fair trade goods. The background information not only puts the whole movement in context but helps to show the reader where the movement is headed in the future as well. Fairtrade is an idea that as more people talk about, in more countries it gains momentum and credability.

Another part of the excerpt that I enjoyed reading was when the author talked about the woman Shilpi who was formerly a prostitue in Bangladesh. Due to the work of MCC Shilpi was able work for their soap production company and earn enough moeny to build her own house for her and her children as well as send her children to school. She most likely would not have been able to do either without the MCC.

This kind of story really makes me feel like fairtrade is an excellent way to help people. It's one thing when you buy a fairtrade product and you feel good because some farmer or artisan made an extra dollar that wouldn't have otherwise but it's a whole other thing when you hear the life story of a person whose life is so significantly cahnged for the better due to the work of a few people and a few customers. This is the type of writing and the type of story that makes the reader really think about how much the world would change if all goods were bought through fairtrade. The difference would really be astounding.