Yesterday Sam and I had the opportunity to visit three artisan workshops in Chorrillos, one of the southernmost neighborhoods in Lima. We were accompanying Yannina and Luigi, a representative from Libero Mondo, one of Manos Amigas’ Italian clients.
At one point in the afternoon, Luigi commented about the links in the fair trade chain between the producer and the consumer, and how it was represented here. “We have the artisan creating the product, Daniel. We have the exporter, Manos Amigas, who sells to the importer, Libero Mondo. Too bad we don't have someone with a store to complete the chain!”
Except we did; Global Gifts was represented. I piped up. “Sam’s organization has three stores!” Luigi was relieved: “Ah, the chain is complete.” I took a photo to document the occasion.
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| The artisan, the exporter, the importer, and the store |
Later, Luigi asked me to replicate the photo for him, including Simon as the future of fair trade. I could have argued to be included (as the all-important consumer!), but someone needed to take the photo, right?
How cool that fair trade can be represented by these four people. I wonder how many links are in Wal-Mart’s producer-to-consumer chain, on average.
Warning: product promotion follows. Stop here if you can’t take another commercial, even if it’s for fair trade! If you are interested in learning more about the links in the fair trade chain and you read children’s books, consider purchasing Think Fair Trade First, by Ingrid Hess (my cousin!) and edited by Sam; online via Amazon, in person at Global Gifts (in Indy and Bloomington) or at a Ten Thousand Villages store near you!
Love the colors! How exciting for you to meet the artisans in person and have faces to put to the crafts that will be vended through Global Gifts!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reviewing your blog entries Alison. The photos are important, filling in where our imaginations falter. Surely, surely you are wonderful associates to Manos Amigas and producers.
ReplyDeleteAs for bureaucracy, I faced endless red tape as an SST leader. Spain had lots of it too. I was then abashed when a South Korean family in our church complained about the bureau of motor vehicles in Indy! He had to visit, I think, four or five times before his case was settled.
Thanks for the plug for Ingrid's book.
The blog is beautiful.