Hornsea Fairtrade invited fairandfunky to join their Fairtrade Schools Conference to host a ‘What’s in Your Wallet’ Workshop and we were delighted to attend.
Throughout the workshop the students were challenged to think about the people behind the products they use and buy every day. Beginning with a focus on chocolate, participants were asked “Where did this bar of chocolate come from?” With initial suggestions including “shop” and “Africa!” the students were encouraged to think about all the people along the supply chain of chocolate, considering lots of questions: How does the cocoa bean get from the tree? How does it travel? Where is it made into chocolate? What other ingredients are used?
The students listed many different roles along the supply chain: from cocoa farmers to Fairtrade labellers; from truck drivers to shop keepers. Students were challenged to think about all the people along the supply chain the next time they enjoyed a bar of chocolate! They discussed how it was possible to ensure every one along the supply chain was paid fairly for the work they did, particularly the cocoa farmer right at the beginning of the supply chain. How can we make sure farmers are paid a fair price for the work they do?
Fairtrade guarantees a fair price is paid to farmers. It also pays an added premium to invest in community projects: to build new schools, improve water supplies, invest in school buses, training and education for farmers and their families and more. Buying a Fairtrade product means the lives of farmers and their communities can be improved and each of us has the power to do just that. Buy Fairtrade and change lives. We can change the world when we shop.
With this in mind each student made a wallet from a recycled juice carton so that when they go shopping, they can use their wallet and think about the people behind the products as they shop. Each participant placed a Fairtrade sticker inside each wallet. When you see the Fairtrade mark you are reminded to think about the people behind the product and shop ethically.
Students took time to consider what the Fairtrade mark represents – why is it blue, black and green? To fairandfunky, the green represents the land where our food is grown and our products are made; the blue represents the sea and the sky by which our products travel to us; and the black is a person, the producer behind the product. The Fairtrade Mark shows we are all connected and reminds us to think about the people who make our products and grow our food.
The workshop finished with mindfulness chocolate tasting using all five of our senses – to see if the chocolate was shiny, to feel if the chocolate was smooth, to smell the rich cocoa, to hear the ‘snap’ of the cocoa bonds break and to taste the delicious Fairtrade chocolate.
Congratulations to all the students at the Hornsea Fairtrade Schools Conference for taking their own little steps to change the world in a fairandfunky workshop. And many congratulations to all the team for running such an inspiring event.
To book a fairandfunky workshop for your event please email helen@fairandfunky.com
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