Fair Trade
Series name:
Fair Trade fortnight Today we start our focus on Fairtrade to coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight that runs from 1st -16th May. Fairtrade’s theme this year is ‘the Big Swap’- encouraging people to swap one item we regularly buy to a Fairtrade equivalent to bring about a fairer deal for disadvantaged farmers and workers.
I’m writing this in a cafe where I’ve spent $3.50 on a flat white. As I sipped my coffee the first thing I read from my Fairtrade resources was from a cup of coffee at $3.50, an average of only 3 cents reaches the farmers who grow the beans—my coffee suddenly tasted more bitter.
We can bring about change through the choices we make. World Vision observes that yes, it may cost a little more to buy a Fairtrade product: “But the question becomes: who pays the price if we don’t? As the rich, in relative terms, Jesus reminds us we have a responsibility: where someone has been given much, much will be expected of them” (Luke 12:48b).
Today we set the scene looking at the distribution of the world’s wealth, and consider how the theme of justice for the poor is pervasive in the Biblical story. We’ll look at how Freeset, whose bags are available for purchase in the foyer is committed to Fairtrade.
