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Soroptimists Stepping out for Fairtrade

FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT 27th February – 11th March 2012

In 2012 we are be asking all our members to take steps throughout the year for Fairtrade. We will record all our steps on our online database and see how far Soroptimists can step out for Fairtrade.

Check out the video on YouTube http://youtu.be/J60mvcp_Q_E

Record how many STEPS your club made for Fairtrade by registering at http://step.fairtrade.org.uk/
Spread the News and Share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter!

On 29th February – leap year day, we are asking all Clubs to give a good start to our campaign. One STEP on that day will equal a GIANT FAIRTRADE LEAP for Soroptimists.

You can order Action Guide and resources from the Fairtrade Foundation online shop.

The FairTrade foundation has just issued a Press Release about this campaign.

Empowering Women through Fairtrade

This year at our SIGBI conference in Brighton – Equal Exchange a 100% Fairtrade company and our partners Fairtrade added their support with a display stand – giving out literature and samples of Fairtrade goods. You may have sampled their Coffee GROWN BY WOMEN.

GROWN BY WOMEN is sourced exclusively from women in co-operatives in Uganda, Nicaragua and Peru. As well as a fair price, Equal Exchange pays a premium up to 4 times that of the standard FLO premium for investment in local Women’s projects. Initial feedback has shown that women invest more in the health and education of their families when in control of the household finances.

Meet the Producer – Jennipher Wettaka, Coffee Farmer, Uganda

I’m a Fairtrade certified farmer and I’m also the Vice Chairperson of Gumutindo Co-operative board of directors.

This position has greatly improved my social status amongst the other farmers that I represent and in the community where I live. I benefit a lot from being a Fairtrade producer; I get a good advance price for my quality coffee, which has enabled me to have my children in school and provide for all basic needs in the home. At the end of the year, I receive second payments and all other societies receive Fairtrade premiums which are used for community projects. Normally, when the Fairtrade premiums are distributed, members are invited to a general meeting to make a decision on the premium fund use. Apart from the financial benefits, members are trained in farm practices, good agronomy practices, governance, farming as a business, planning and in gender issues.

Our society chair told us that women needed to be mobilised to produce coffee and to join the society, so I sat with a group of my fellow women farmers and we set up a drama group. Nasufwa Organic Coffee drama group was initiated in January 2009 with 15 members and the aims were as follows:

  • Mobilise women as coffee farmers and as members of the society
  • Raise both women and men’s awareness about the benefits to the family of women being members of  the society
  • Benefits of producing good quality coffee
  • Sensitise farmers to avoid domestic violence
  • Raise awareness in family planning
  • Promote adult literacy in members so they know how to read and write and to make budgets for their families

We go into people’s homes, perform short dramas and use songs to show that as fellow women farmers in the same community we can better our lives and families.

Sue Challoner SIGBI Representative at Fairtrade