Horizons Launches Fair Trade Guide
(Cobourg, ON) Horizons of Friendship, a Cobourg-based charitable international development organization, has prepared an educational guide that provides an overview of the Fair Trade movement and lists local businesses in Northumberland county selling Fair Trade certified products.
Fair Trade is a system that ensures farmers and artisans from developing countries receive fair wages for their products, and it guarantees that decent working conditions and sound environmental practices are followed. The current Fair Trade Certified products include: coffee, tea, rice, sugar, bananas, sport balls and ice cream.
The notion of Fair Trade becomes increasingly important as: “More than one billion people live in abject poverty. Every day 50,000 people die from poverty-related causes.” says Gerry Barr, President-CEO of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation and co-chair of the Make Poverty History campaign in Canada. Fair Trade is a strategy that helps farmers in the Third World break from poverty by offering them better trading conditions for their products and workers protection.
“This guide is meant to inform and raise awareness about the reasons behind the Fair Trade movement, while encouraging people to purchase Fair Trade certified products. As consumers, we can choose what to buy and thus have the power to make a difference in the world.”, says Jessica Farias, Community Outreach coordinator at Horizons of Friendship.
The local businesses listed on this guide have demonstrated a commitment to Fair Trade by carrying unique line of products. They are: From Cobourg: Horizons of Friendship Thrift Shop, Anota House of Fine Flowers, Cobourg Health Shoppe, Diana’s Homemade Food, The Human Bean. From Port Hope: Suntree Foods, Stickling’s Bakery and Zest Food to Go, From Warkworth: Ambrosia Organics & Gifts and The Supreme Bean, and from outside Northumberland in Foxboro: The Village Green.
This educational guide is available at any of these locations and will also be distributed in various places such as town offices, local churches and schools.
If you would a copy of this guide or more information on Fair Trade please contact Jessica Farias at Toll Free 1-888-729-9928 Ext. 24 or email at jfarias@horizons.ca.
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