Here are just a few of our valued producers, and a little bit about them and how they have been affected by Fair Trade working. Click on a name to see the full story:
- Brazia - How Fairtrade wages benefit workers
- Khan Family - How Fairtrade premiums pay for workers health care
- Bijad - How Fairtrade Premiums pay for Micro-credit loans
- Kadir Ensure - How Fairtrade funds micro-credit
- Kitman - Sri Lankan Fair Trade rubber project
- Shymala - Fair trade rubber tapping in South India »
- Sameena Nyaz - How Fairtrade Premiums help pay for healthcare
- Gollapalli Nampalli - Organic Cotton Growing in India
- Iramma Ramappa Bangari - Organic Cotton Growing in India
- Mr Babu - Fair Trade pension project for rubber tappers
- Mr. Dadmanabhan - Health insurance from the Fair trade Fund
- Ms. Saradha - An operation paid for by Fair Trade premiums
- Rezwan Waris - How Fair Trade Premiums pay for Micro-credit
- Premavati and other Tsunami Victims - Greentips™ Rubber Band Balls
- Mr Sadasivan - Wedding costs help from Fair Trade premiums in South India
To find out more about the making of Fair Trade Footballs, see our video on YouTube.
» Fair trade rubber tapping in South India
Shymala works in the latex factory of New Ambadi rubber estate. She is a trade union leader, not just representing the workers of the plantation, but for rubber workers in the whole district. She is also a member of the joint body which was started when Fair Deal Trading began buying rubber under Fair Trade conditions: Fair Deal Trading is the only company in the world which pays a Fair Trade premium for latex which is then processed into components for footballs and other sports balls in Pakistan.
The joint body meets regularly and keeps a minute book. It has decided to save the Fair Trade premiums for a fund which is paying for higher education for the children of plantation workers. Even though in principle education is free in India, only children who can afford to go to private schools have a chance of getting a decent job after their schooling. The joint body has told Fair Deal Trading that it needs to buy at least 90 tons of rubber in order to feed the fund with enough funds to start paying out stipends.
Shymala hopes that her grand daughter will be one of the first to benefit. She would like her to train as a nurse. The three year course costs approx. £ 2750 in fees, which she could never afford out of her salary. The second benefit of Fair Deal Trading buying rubber is that it has paid for New Ambadis registration with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme for responsible forest management, helping to make rubber production more sustainable.