Won’t you be My Fair Trade Valentine?

As part of International Week, on Tuesday and Thursday the U of M Fair Trade Working Group will be selling Fair Trade sweets that students can give to their friends and loved ones. A  great way to show your friends and loved ones you care is by giving them fair-trade products!

Engineers Without Borders (EWB)- U of M Chapter heads up the My Fair Trade Valentine initiative. The group will be selling Fair Trade valentine gift packages for $10.

Carol Nabanoba Musoke, a spokesperson from the group, says that the initiative allows people to make “a conscious consumer choice to choose fair trade by voting with your dollar so that we can all give back to producers and help them live a healthier and more sustainable life.”

She notes that Fair trade is related to poverty alleviation.

How does fair trade alleviate poverty?

“EWB encourages consumers to make conscious choices when making their purchases. People vote with their dollars,” she says.

“With fair trade products, a percentage of the price consumers pay goes back to the producer and with that percentage producers within their cooperatives (ideally entirely producer-run) can make decisions such as build roads, schools and other things to better their living conditions.

“So there you have it, EWB makes steps towards poverty alleviation.”

My Fair Trade Valentine times and locations:

Tuesday 11th February, location: 1st floor Frank Kennedy, 9 to 10 a.m.

Thursday 13th February , location: 1st floor university centre, 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.