Reflecting verses:
Nobody wants to buy something that was made by exploiting somebody else. - Jerry Greefield
What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God; Micah 6:8
The definition of Fair-trade according to Fair-trade Foundation: “Fair-trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price). Fair-trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates the poorest, weakest producers and workers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.”[i]
Have you ever wondered who made your clothes? How much they are being paid, and what their lives are like? Before our clothes hit the store-shelves, they go a long way, starting from the hands of the cotton farmers, spinners, weavers, dyers, sewers and others. About 75 million people labour to make our clothes. 80% of them are women between the ages of 18 and 35.[ii]
7 years ago, on 24 April 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed. More than 1,100 people died and another 2,500 were injured, making it the fourth largest industrial disaster in history.[iii] There were five garment factories, all manufacturing clothing for big global brands. The victims were mostly young women. This particular disaster awoke the world to the poor labour conditions faced by workers in the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh. This also brought into light how girls and women are exposed every day to an unsafe work environment with a high prevalence of work-related accidents and deaths. Most of the factories do not meet standards required by building and construction legislation.[iv] These young women do not have other alternatives but to work under such irresponsible employers because of poverty and lack of other opportunities.
Majority of people who make clothes for the global market live in poverty. They are unable to afford basic needs. Most of them are exploited, abused verbally or physically and work in unsafe conditions and dirty environments with very little wages.
Currently, most countries depend on capitalist economy. It means that companies need an increase in sales and need to make more profits in order to be successful — but certainly, not at the expense of peoples’ working conditions.[v]
I believe in a future where trade works to the benefit of all, not just the few. If Jesus was to create an economy, it would be based on love and self-sacrifice. But fair trade isn’t even asking for self-sacrifice; it’s asking that we simply respect people— show them dignity of life and labour, with appropriate working conditions and fair salaries.[vi]
Fair-trade represents life transformation for impoverished artisans, farmers and workers in the factories. It represents a chance for their dreams to become real. It means their families having sustainable incomes and real money coming into their economies. Jesus envisioned a world where we truly loved our neighbours (Mark 12:31).[vii] Fair trade is a way for us to show his love. It’s a way to live what we believe. Live fair, live just.
Prayer:
Dear God, your justice is done when arbitration is transformed by reconciliation; when people become more than objects of desire, manipulation and profit; when poverty is confronted by asking, not how much the poor require, but how much the rich need; when the goods of the earth are looked upon, not as sources of private profit, but as sacraments of divine and human inter-communication. As and when such things occur, your justice is done, and your kingdom manifest here on earth. We pray that through our actions as individuals we may make difference in wider world around us. Amen.
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Author: Divya Nissi
About the Author: Divya Nissi has finished her B.tech., from VIT, Vellore and MBA from London School of Business and Finance. She is currently working as a Social Enterprise Manager for Oasis India and manages their social enterprises. She is passionate about social businesses or ethically run businesses.
[i]
What is Fairtrade ? https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/What-is-Fairtrade accessed on
26th June 2020
[ii] https://www.fashionrevolution.org/asia-vietnam-80-percent-exhibition/ Accessed on 2th June 2020
[iii] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/apr/24/bangladeshi-police-target-garment-workers-union-rana-plaza-five-years-on
Accessed on 26th June 2020
[iv]
The Rana plaza accident and its aftermath https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/geip/WCMS_614394/lang--en/index.htm
Accessed on 26th June 2020
[v] https://www.thenews.coop/113373/sector/fairtrade-tackling-problem-worker-exploitation/
accessed on 26th June 2020
[vi]
Four reasons why fair-trade matters to Christianity – biblestudytools.com https://www.biblestudytools.com/blogs/jesus-economy/4-reasons-why-fair-trade-matters-to-christianity.html
accessed on 26th June 2020
[vii] https://www.christianbiblereference.org/jneighbr.htm
accessed on 27th June 2020
Need a change, well said.
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