Fair trade experiencies guide

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Emaús Fundación Social c/ Gurutzegi, 16 (Pol. Belartza) 20018 Donostia- San Sebastián Tel: (0034) 943 36 75 34 Fax: (0034) 943 47 43 46 fundación@emaus.com www.emaus.com www.desarrollohumanosostenible.org

Funding:

Participating Sponsors:

N o n - c o m m e r i c a l - Re c o g n i t i o n - To s h a re u n d e r t h e s a m e l i c e n s e , 2 . 5 S pa i n .

The created material can be distributed, copied and displayed by third parties as long as the original authors are accredited correctly. The material cannot be used for commercial gain and any resulting works must ascribe to and are under the same license conditions as the original work.

Translation: Emaús Fundación Social Design and Formatting: Emaús Fundación Social Print Edition: Gráficas Gorobe S.L.

INDEX

INTRODUCTION ... 4

AYADI MASREYA ... 8 BIDEZKO BIDEAN ... 17 BRÚJULA SUR ... 21 ECOSOL URUGUAY ... 27 EL SURCO CÁRITAS ... 34 ESPANICA ... 47 TENDA DE TOT EL MÓN ... 52 THANAPARA SWALLOWS ... 59

INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS EMAÚS FUNDACIÓN SOCIAL (EFS) EFS is a social, secular, non-profit entity, associated with the Emaus International movement.

We focus on Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia (Basque Country), Avilés (Asturias), Vigo (Galicia) and Madrid.

Our objectives are: - Improve the conditions of life of those individuals and communities that are in great risk of exclusion, by facilitating and accompanying the process of social and labour integration and in increasing their autonomy.

- Bring consciousness to the society about the causes, implications and possible solutions to the justice, poverty and development problems that exist today.

In order to achieve our objectives, we organize: · Social programs and services of integral character which entails the design and execution are of individual insertion. · Environmental initiatives to do with recuperation and reusability of residues. · Projects and actions in favour of a human sustainable development. · Promotion and creation of social and supportive economic businesses, businesses that incorporate fair trade.

The area of Education for Sustainability at Emaus Fundación Social began working in the areas of awareness raising and education for development in 1997. In the beginning, its work was based on Fair Trade an area that the entity had been involved with since 1986 when it opened its first store in San Sebastian- and later it evolved to include Responsible Consumerism, Social Corporative Responsibility, Social and Solidarity Economy, and Food Sovereignty.

Emaus Fundacion Social tries to promote Fair Trade as a tool for cooperation and development and as a practice of responsible consumerism on behalf of society.

Emaús Fundación Social and Fair Trade.

The experience of the first store in Spain.

The first Fair Trade store was opened by Emaus on December 20, 1986 in San Sebastian and it became the first Fair Trade store to open in Spain. This first store was 18 metres squared and was opened with the savings of a group of people with very few resources. It was surrounded by a multitude of difficulties that today are part of a chapter of antidotes.

It was a small store, of few metres squared but plagued with solidarity, as the idea came from a group of people of Emaus who under the same roof, shared their lives, and many of them were marked by marginalization, poverty, and loneliness, and they made ends meet repairing furniture and clothes which were destined for the garbage. This group of people, besides their sobering life conditions, were conscious of the fact that in other parts of the world there were people who lived

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INTRODUCTION

worse than they did; victims of injustice and exploitation. For this reason, with a great effort and many challenges to face, they organized a savings fund and a van and a lot of morale and they made it to Holland to buy artisan products and a few food products that were all the fair trade products that existed at the time.

Today this project, which started as an authentic adventure has converted into a social insertion business Emaus Comercio Justo S.L.- with seven sales points around the state, and that incorporates workers who are primarily women immigrants.

Awareness activities and education for development · Training about fair trade through online courses. One of these experiences has been the recent project financed by AECID. Through this same project we facilitated the training of 107 people from Spain, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay. We have also done online forums about relative topics to do with Fair Trade with the participation and tutorials of experts in each topic. · Promote Public Ethical Consumption since 2004 in the city halls, Basque Country Council, and currently we are starting the Responsible Shopping with a three vertices green, ethical and social. · Active participation in the State Fair Trade Coordinator. · Compromise, during 24 years, to the promotion of Fair Trade through marketing, awareness and political advocacy.

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INTRODUCTION

PRESENTATION GUIDE We will now present a Guide of Fair Trade experiences North-South. The elaboration of this Guide is framed within the Online Training about Fair Trade project, financed by the Spanish Cooperation and Development Agency (AECID) in consortium with the State Fair Trade Coordinator (CECJ), and whose objective is to facilitate the capacity and space of reflection about Fair Trade, incorporating the vision of the organizations of the South, NGOs for development, and social organizations related to Fair Trade and Responsible Consumerism.

In this case, they have completed three online training courses with a total of 107 participants from Spain, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay. They have completed online forums with open debates about related topics about Fair Trade today and tutored by experts in each field.

This guide is one of the results of this Project and with it, we intend to visualize the experiences of diverse Fair Trade experiences from different places in Spain and also from Bangladesh, Egypt, Uruguay All of them belong to Fair Trade social organizations that work for the marketing and awareness of fair trade, promoting more just commercial relations between the north and the south, in the north and also in the south through local development. All of this diversity will be reflected in a simple and concise manner in this guide.

The Guide of experiences intends to be a meeting space for all of these experiences that act in their own areas and also work towards improving commercial relations.

At the end of the project we believe with certainty that this has been a learning process and a space of exchange in which we all can learn and contribute to the knowledge and experiences of others, by questioning and debating what forms and routes this process of constructing a more Just Commerce must take.

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INTRODUCTION

MUCH APPRECIATION We would like to express our appreciation to all those entities that have participated in the elaboration of this Guide, and for sharing your time and efforts when responding to the questions and showing such openness in your activities and work for a more Just Commerce.

Without you this guide would not exist. We hope that this guide can be used as a tool and that it contributes to the awareness and introduction for other Fair Trade experiences in the North and in the South.

For all of you, we thank you in first person.

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AYADI MASREYA

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: Ayadi Masreya (before: Fair Trade Egypt Foundation) Main Area of Work: REPRESENTATION AND SUPPORT NETWORK OF PRODUCERS AND AGRO-FOOD CRAFT FAIR TRADE. Place (city, country): EGYPT, CAIRO (OFFICE)- Aswan, Qena, Sohag, Assiut, Minia, Fayoum, Cairo, Helwan, Giza, Sharkya, Beheira, North Sinai, South Sinai, Matrouh, y Red Sea (PLACES OF PRODUCERS) Contact Person: Anne-Marie Iskandar Telephone : +2737 1234 Email: aiskandar@ft-egypt.org Web page: www.ft-egypt.org Mailing address: 2 Taha Hussein, 7ยบ, Apto. 5, Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt Number of associates, separated by sex: FOUNDERS 19: 14 MEN AND 5 WOMEN Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: 7MEN AND 2 WOMEN Number of employees, separated by sex: 2 MEN 2 AND 1 WOMEN Number of volunteers, separated by sex:----------Fair Trade work commencement year. REGISTRATION DATE: JANUARY 2007 COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS JUNE 2007

INTRODUCTION Ayadi Masreya (before Fair Trade Egypt Foundation) means "Egyptian Hands" is an umbrella organization of Fair Trade that provides technical assistance to approximately 4,000 farmers and producers gathered in 45 producer groups, being 85% of women artisans from different geographical areas, social and cultural contexts of Egypt. Ayadi Msreya promotes Fair Trade through awareness, training and technical assistance.

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THE ORIGINS OF THE INITIATIVE History

At the beginning of the 1990's, different capacity-building interventions, focusing on the improvement of production processes of marginalized handicraft producer organizations, were implemented under the umbrella of North South Consultants Exchange (NSCE), an Egyptian consultancy firm working in the field of sustainable development in North Africa, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Through the provision of funds from various donors such as, for example, the Dutch Embassy, some producer organizations from namely Sohag, Aswan, and El-Arish were able to modernize some aspects of their operations. Nevertheless, over the years, it became clear that working on strengthening the capacity of those producer organizations was not enough; indeed, because of cheaper mass-produced and/or imported substitute products, training or not, it had become impossible to distribute the artisan organizations' goods through traditional local channels. Hence, a link to greater markets, capable of absorbing this type of handicraft production, was established in order to generate real results. The interventions at both the capacity and marketing levels together gave rise to what became known as the Marketing Link Program.

In 1998, NSCE and COSPE (Cooperation for the Development of Emerging Countries), an Italian NGO working in international cooperation in South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean, merged their efforts to develop and start implementing, as part of the Marketing Link Program Commercial and Institutional Support to Producers Associations in Egypt (also referred to as MLPI), a project co-funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the aim to alleviate poverty among marginalized communities through the revitalization of different craft techniques and the practice of Fair Trade. In the first half of 1999, the trade and marketing activities of the marketing link program were brought under a separate organization, Egypt Craft (ECC) to become a financially self-sustainable, independent, non-profit Fair Trade organization. Following this first phase, two more projects were developed, "Community Crafts Producers & Markets" funded by the ItalianEgyptian Debt for Development Swap Program (DSP) with ECC and COSPE between 2002 and 2004, and the "Linking Craft Producers in Marginal Communities to National and International Markets" (also referred to as MLPII) again funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented in cooperation with ECC, COSPE, & NSCE between 2004 and 2007. Over the years, ECC was able to make its transition from representing a beneficiary to becoming one of the three implementing partners.

The past initiatives had a significant positive impact on the lives and capacity of the productive units of the targeted small-scale producers, especially for women producers who represent about 85% of total producers, and their communities. This success is in thanks to: R The support of their operations, production, & management through professional and vocational trainings R The provision of technical support in quality, finishing, product diversification and development R The provision of tools and equipments R The implementation of Fair Trade, especially through the improvement of their working conditions R The realization of life-skills enhancement trainings R The promotion of Fair Trade among the private, public, and third sector, as well as among civil society in general R The linkages to international, national, and local markets R The enhanced capacity of ECC to provide marketing services and advice on a daily basis to the producers

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AbuGhusun, Southern Red Sea The birth of the Fair Trade Egypt Foundation / Ayadi Masreya During the implementation of the last phase of Marketing Link “Community Crafts Producers and Markets”, the Fair Trade Egypt Foundation (FTEF), recently renamed Ayadi Masreya (AM), meaning Egyptian Hands in Arabic was created in order to respond to further needs which had developed. The foundation grew from 8 producer organizations in 1998 to over 40 in 2007, representing from 3300 to 3500 marginalized producers, and it became apparent that a new non-profit - fair trade structure needed to be created in order to effectively provide a greater array of support services to a greater number and variety of producer groups on a continuous and sustainable basis, to invest more in awareness-building & advocacy activities, and to give a chance to marginalized producers to voice their concerns and thereby, actively participate to the process.

It is thus on the 3rd of January 2007 that the Fair Trade Egypt Foundation / Ayadi Masreya was registered with the Ministry of Social Solidarity (Registration Number: 6762) with the aim to serve as the umbrella organization for Egyptian Fair Trade initiatives. Its function is to work towards Fair Trade with a social responsibility with marginalized handicraft & agro producer groups and producers by providing them with Fair Trade related capacitybuilding support services and by organizing awareness-building & advocacy activities on Fair Trade and its rationale.

The Foundation is composed of 19 founding members, including 9 producers and/or producer organizations.

Moreover, out of the 9 member parts of the Board of Trustees, 7 are producers. The rest are different individuals who have participated in one way or another in the different initiatives which have contributed to making Fair Trade in Egypt a reality. There are currently over 50 agro and handicraft producer groups (over 4000 producers) informally forming part of the Fair Trade Egypt / Ayadi Masreya Foundation network.

OBJECTIVES OF AYADI MASREYA Vision under construction (not yet approved): "To improve the living conditions of marginalized Egyptian producers" Actual Mission: "Working towards Fair Trade with a Social Responsibility"

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Mission under construction (not yet approved): RMarginalized producers have a voice RMarginalized producers have sustainable livelihoods RMarginalized producers are exercising their citizenship Objective: Ayadi Masreya is the umbrella organization for the Fair Trade movement in Egypt Principles: We have yet to develop an organizational charter of principles. However, we work according to Fair Trade standards and follow the capacity-building, rights-based, and participatory approaches.

Structure under construction: After 3 years of working mainly with capacity-building from the producers side of the network, we are in the process of building a new organizational structure. The structure is as follows: Membership · Internal: Representation of primarily agro and crafts producers and in a secondarily, actors of other sectors RDevelopment of Guidelines: representation scheme / selection criteria / rights & duties / membership levels, types (suppliers, producers, distributors, and individuals), and contribution scale · External: RAffiliation to International FT organizations and other like-minded movements Producer Representation Advocacy & Awareness-Building: RAbout local issues RAbout regional and international issues through coalition-building RAbout the Fair Trade Movement Capacity-Building Services RConsultancy, research, and assessment of Fair Trade and business practices RFair Trade institutional-building, vocational trainings & technical assistance training and interventions on business-related topics RProduct enhancement and development RFacilitation of Licenses, certifications, and registrations RImprovement of life-skills RLinks to sourcing and distribution opportunities for emerging FT sectors (Crafts, agriculture, and tourism) RMicrocredit Social Welfare Services Fair Trade intervenes on aspects related to the improvement of different socio-economic conditions (social insurance, health insurance, education, working conditions, etc.)

Business Development RPartnership-building RFundraising RCommunications

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CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARDS THIS INITIATIVE Collective: RApp. 50 groups of producers (handicraft and agriculture) RApp. 4000 producers, 85% of which are women Process of Creation of opportunities RThrough: a membership scheme and the representation and participation of producers, through capacitybuilding services, and social welfare services RSee structure under construction Decent working conditions Through assessments (the last one in June 2009, and previously in 2005 via the initiatives which led to the creation of the Foundation), and the provision of training and/or equipments.

Mottamadeya, Cairo.

DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THE INITIATIVE Development through: RThe provision of capacity-building services and social welfare services RThe empowerment of producers through their participation RAdvocacy for the improvement of the producers' socio-economic conditions If we talk about Fair Trade models: We work with a combination of the transformer (social and solidarity economy) and regulator (market-based) models.

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GENDER Problems: RMen lead both men producer organizations and women producer organizations while women only lead women producer organizations Fair participation of women: RThrough the maximization of the number of women producers in all the organization's initiatives (up until now, most of the interventions were implemented with women) RThrough the integration of women in managerial roles of the Foundation; for example, the president of the Board of Trustees of Foundation is a woman producer RThrough the set-up of a general assembly of producers (in 2010) with at least 50% of women, and possible through the set-up of a woman committee (in 2011)

Mottamadeya, Cairo.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON A LONG TERM SCALE AND LESSONS FOR THE PRESENT Activities implemented so far: So far, the empowerment of women within the framework of our activities has been through capacity-building support services which were instrumental to their economic empowerment Strengths RNetworking with other organizations, consultants, other producers, development agencies, the private and public sectors, etc.

Weaknesses RDifficulties in the search for funds and lack of resources for a new organization RDifficulties in relation to the ethnocentric vision of the short-term consultants (for example, it's not the same to work with Bedouin producers as it is to work with producers from Upper Egypt) RDifficulties in the development of a very close relation with the government in the implementation of all initiatives and the evaluation of its expectations

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COMMUNICATION AND RAISING AWARENESS -

Organization of events to promote Fair Trade Writing project proposals to this end Implementation of an Advocacy Project targeting the media, the public, private and third sectors Training in Fair Trade

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT Mainly through the choice of raw materials and of agricultural input supplies

Shalateen, Southern Red Sea

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N Promotion of the concept in all trainings Application of the concept in our organization

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE OF FAIR TRADE Fair Trade Critiques For a variety of reasons detailed below, the most prominent challenge of Fair Trade practitioners in the "south" would be, according to me, going local, and thus working with a real long-term vision of development that encompasses the impact of actions on a national level. It is not easy Here are a few arguments against Fair Trade they can absolutely be understood in terms of challenges.

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Politico-Economic Argument: In the past few years, criticism related to modern Fair Trade practices has started to emerge and is often backed-up by food sovereignty fans. The same arguments against food security pretexts apply: Fair Trade can end up encouraging commodity dumping, facilitating corporate penetration of foreign markets, and undermining local food production.

Indeed, most of what is produced under Fair Trade principles in the South is distributed through Fair Trade networks or giant conventional agents in the North. The latter are naturally more inclined to engage in the trade of products they cannot source from home. Therefore, the demand being catered to through Fair Trade production is generally not local, and strategic overly-subsidized crops continue to eat-up the local production of essential foods. Moreover, throughout the process, all actors in the chain achieve the status of glorified upto-date human rights practitioners, if not militants, including giant conventional distributors such as MacDonald's (Fair Trade coffee – Switzerland), Starbucks (Coffee & other - US and elsewhere), Wal-Mart (mixed products – US), Carrefour (Agro production – Europe), etc. Thus, while these huge corporations, often owners of all the processes which exist between the production and the distribution of a lot of the products available on their own store shelves, polish their images. Thus, the same dependency problem between the South and the North continues to aggravate itself.

This type of criticism is almost never associated to Fair Trade handicraft production as per the fact that the sector does not affect the general health of any country's economy, and therefore, does not pose a threat to anyone in the long-run (as opposed to agro-production). Moreover, it is more relevant to the plantation (hired labor) types of production schemes.

Environmental Argument: One of the most prominent critiques of Fair Trade has to do with the excess pollution and packing resulting from the transportation of the products from the South to the North. It is now considered outrageous to engage in the trade of products fabricated or grown following strict environmental standards, only to sell the same later in very distant markets using Fair Trade marketing appeal. For instance, the environmental costs saved by growing organically become obsolete when the products are flown half way across the world. The same applies to ecotourism / sustainable / Fair Trade tourism initiatives: transportation is necessary but causes a lot of environmental damage. This is another reason why "going local" is gaining popularity.

Furthermore, as far as Fair Trade agribusiness is concerned, other critiques are starting to acknowledge the fact that growing organically (or according to similar environmental standards) is not that much more energyefficient than growing conventionally; in fact, it may require more energy per ton produced because yields are usually lower and more land is used up.

Fayoum

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AYADI MASREYA

Excess Supply or Price Distortion Argument: To criticize Fair Trade, some economists argue that the classic law of supply and demand applies. An increase in the price of a commodity leads to an increase in the production of the same. For Fair Trade agricultural products, price floors are always set above market prices; for most micro-economists, the latter naturally translates into overproduction and excess supply, which later leads to lower prices, and in turn, eventually harms the bulk of conventional farmers. Thus, while a small bouquet of Fair Trade farmers benefit from artificially higher prices in the short-run, the development of local economies is damaged in the long-run. In response to this argument, some have made the case that the market price of a commodity produced in conventional settings is the one that is distorted as it reflects the lower bargaining power of producers. Moreover, others have argued that the Excess Supply argument does not take into account product differentiation principles.

Fair Trade: promoting neo-liberalism?

This argument is closely related to the Politico-Economic Argument. Many critics argue that Fair Trade has failed in its mission of changing the exploitative nature of conventional trade relations, and has instead given in to neo-liberalism. Up until the late 80's when Fair Trade organizations started answering the demands of the capitalist market and neoliberal reformers with the intention of expanding their distribution base, Fair Trade sought proper international market regulation and strong state intervention. In other words, the mission was to transform the economic order in cooperation with all sectors (private, public, and third). However, some argue that the role of Fair Trade has been reduced to improving short-run economic welfare of relatively few individuals using current economic gears, in cooperation with the third sector for the most part, and completely leaving aside the most important change agents (public and private sectors), therefore highlighting the triumph of neoliberal globalization and killing the movement's chances of impacting the current economic order, in the long-run.

Shandaweel Sohag

BIDEZKO BIDEAN

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: BIDEZKO BIDEAN KOOP. E. Main Area of Work: FAIR TRADE AND FOOD SOVEREIGNTY THROUGH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN A BAR. Place (city, country): VITORIA GASTEIZ, PAÍS VASCO. Contact Person: ISABEL ALVAREZ Telephone : (0034) 945202526 Email: bidezkobidean@gmail.com Web page: www.bidezkobidean.elkarteak.net Mailing address: C/ CUCHILLERÍA 60 01006 VITORIA GASTEIZ, PAIS VASCO. Number of associates, separated by sex: 4 WOMEN AND 2 MEN Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: GOVERNING COUNCIL: 3 WOMEN Number of employees, separated by sex: 2 MEN

INTRODUCTION Bidezko Bidean is the place where you work consistently on the marketing and consumption through food sovereignty and fair trade. A cooperative formed by young people who came together and created this innovative initiative in the city of Vitoria in the Basque Country. In the "Bar 70" we find the combination of local production and products from the South, all promoting fairer trade.

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THE ORIGINS OF THE INITIATIVE The concern to not only edúcate people about the possibility of different, alternative world but also to demonstrate this alternative in practice comes from many different people from different backgrounds: education, NGOs, ecologists, etc.

OBJECTIVES OF BIDEZKO BIDEAN The goal is to create and show an alternative reality of pleasure and consumption through the demonstration of various criteria that guide the cooperative and the products that we have. These criteria are: Local, ecological and fair. Within this we encompass fair relations with equality and equity in internal and external relations.

CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARDS THIS INITITATIVE The people who work in the initiative are members of the assembly, whose decisions are made by consensus.

DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THE INITIATIVE We promote a model of development that is fair for everyone, in which well-being and quality of life for only a few people of the planet is not achieved at the cost of the work and exploitation of the rest. We promote a model where everyone can live with the liberty to make decisions in every aspect of their life and not have decisions imposed upon them from interested institutions concerned only for their own gains.

GENDER From the beginning we have wanted to deal with the gender issue, as much on the internal level as on the external level. At an internal level, we have created a Governing Committee and there was consensus among all of the members, at least at the beginning, that all of its members should be women, as it is in this initial phase when we were faced with the relations between providers (male and female). On an external level, we participate in the local platforms on March 8th and November 25th as well as other activities with local feminist groups. Since January 2010 these organizations have met every Wednesday in our locale to undertake different activities. As for the practical changes regarding gender, in the bar, the bathrooms are not labelled men s or women´s, which has cost us a row with the health commissioners.

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Visit of Women Organizations VĂ­a Campesina Brazil.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON A LONG TERM SCALE AND LESSONS FOR THE PRESENT As a strength, at least for those of us who make up the organization, we have our principles clear upon which we base or organization. Something that stands out as a great strength is our team work and we give priority to the person and to our principles even in terms of the economic area of the organization, which for us is a great strength, but could be considered a weakness by others. As for lessons learned, they have mostly been personal, referring to the evolution of the work groups and conflict and problem resolution.

THE VISION OF FAIR TRADE WHICH WE PROMOTE We not only promote fair relations in the North through our own local products and encouragement of local consumer groups, but also fair trade between North-South through our coffee and cacao products for example.

COMUNICATION AND RAISING AWARENESS Besides the proper daily work with the products, we organize different activities on Wednesdays at the locale of which some focus on developing fair trade.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT We promote caring for the environment through the products that come from sustainable agriculture,

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both socially and environmentally, and by being the most local possible. As for our management, we recycle carton in the locale, and separate our garbage, and try to keep in mind each one of our actions in order to maintain a small ecological footprint.

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N We are organized through an assembly in which the patrons, associates and volunteers participate.

Decisions are made by consensus.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE OF FAIR TRADE The biggest challenge is that these networks are always growing and that we can adhere to a model of relations that is personal at the same time as being commercial.

BRUJULA SUR

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: ASOCIACIÓN BRÚJULASUR COMERCIO JUSTO MURCIA, AND LA BRÚJULA DEL SUR S. COOP. Main area of work: AWARENESS AND COMMUNICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES AND FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS. Place (city, country): MURCIA, ESPAÑA Contact person: MARI CARMEN NICOLÁS RÓDENAS Y ANA AYALA TOMÁS Telephone: (0034) 606 894 024 Email: maricarmen@brujulasur.org, ana@brujulasur.org Web page: www.brujulasur.org Mailing adress: Plaza Enseñanza 2, 6º derecha, 30.011 Number of associates, separated by sex: 29 MEN AND 46 WOMEN Nº of people on the board of directors, separated by sex: THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE COOPERATIVE ARE WOMEN, AND THE BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION ALSO ARE WOMEN. Fair Trade work commencement year: 2006

INTRODUCTION BrujulaSur is a non-profit organization which works for Fair Trade in the North and in the South through raising awareness, communication as well as through the sale of products through our online catalogue, a different way to reach many different consumers.

ORIGIN OF THE INITIATIVE BrujulaSur began in 2005, when the founders were looking for a space to promote a fairer, more just commerce and fight for a greater social justice in the world Even if the ideals were clear, the management and economic viability took hard work and above all, implicated a huge learning curve for everyone involved.

The name of the organization was hard to decide on, because it needed to say something in itself at the same time as being short and easy to pronounce The key was in a book by Eric Orsena, An African Lady , a text which was written with style and sweetness as well as reality. BrujulaSur began to sound good, and in the end it stuck. we continued along the route which would give us security.

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The articles of association, which brought more doubts than certainties, were transmitted through the registration of associations and through the Treasury Department due to the topic of the company tax code. The articles were difficult but part of the development of the business and we continued along the route which would give us security.

On November 7, 2006, BrujulaSur presented its program for the society. Ever since, the main worry has been to transmit our initiative to the general public, especially in Murcia. This was the goal, and the opportunity presented itself with the offer of an official kiosk in Santo Domingo plaza. We have also: made an awareness raising video, created a proposal for local cafes and bars and restaurants for café en grano y compañía , made a display a presentation about Fair Trade available to those who request it, and finally a fundamental tool, our website: www.brujulasur.org

Stand of fair trade products in the Plaza de Santo Domingo of Murcia. December 2007.

OBJECTIVES OF BRUJULASUR Objectives: Learn, become informed.

Surprise yourself, look reality in the eyes.

Rebel against injustice.

Dream, never stop believing it´s possible.

Goals: Always continue expanding the number of people who know and are implicated in the search for greater social justice for all; Fair Trade is an option, and it is compatible with many more manners.

The goal is to ensure that people are aware of the reality that surrounds them.

Principles: Above all, respect of all people.

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BRUJULA SUR

CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARDS THIS INITIATIVE BrujulaSur, does not have employees, partners work as volunteers. However, if we consider the possibility of contracting someone in the future obviously the labour conditions would be decent, promoting equal opportunities, labour conciliation, a flexible schedule, etc.

We remain clear that, at least in our company, the workers must CREATE what they do. This would be a fundamental aspect of the contract.

DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THE INITIATIVE BrujulaSur promotes development that is participative, integrating, cooperative, equal, and social justice based. Decisions are made freely with the assurance of a coherent, knowledge and awareness based critique of the reality that surrounds us.

I gastronomic days of fair trade products and organic products Just ... what you wanted. June 2007

GENDER In the labour aspects of the organization all of the partners and a majority of the volunteers are women; and this is not due to a question of gender equality but because it just happened that way; as we have said before, we believe in raising awareness and being conscious, and in doing so, we do not care the gender of the people who are involved in our initiative.

Last year we did a project specifically working with women from different collectives from Murcia, we call it Contarlo en femenino. We presented it to the Instituto de la Mujer de la Región de Murcia and fundamentally what it said was the following: We are an association made up of women and we are committed to raising awareness about the advantages and possibilities of Fair Trade as an alternative formula and solidarity which promotes responsible consumerism. From there, our idea is to do a few informative panels focused on the importance of women in the production chain, inside the countries and cooperative of Fair Trade food and handicraft producers as well as in our own personal surroundings, including healthier living habits, environmentally friendly and humanly respectful living habits.

There is no one better suited to tell you about it or to raise awareness of the subject than women and groups of women which organize the distribution of such information and who decide how to contarlo en clave femenina (tell it to you in feminine code), which is to say, not as an anecdote but linking this information with everyday life.

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STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON A LONG TERM SCALE AND LESSONS FOR THE PRESENT STRENGTHS: - We strongly believe in our Project - The internet is a possibility to reach a larger population - We can count on the close context that supports us - We are young and very hopeful (about the project and the people who make up the project) - Firsthand experience of different realities in the South - Conscious of what constitutes a slow, long term project - We work in networks with other ecological agricultural organizations, and other movements that promote social justice WEAKNESES: - Having our base on the internet does not allow us to reach certain segments of the population, and there exists a mistrust in online sales - We lack the time needed for the project - We lack economic resources - We lack presence in public administrations and institutions - We are in Murcia, where Fair Trade is a new concept (in comparison with other Spanish provinces)

THE VISION OF FAIR TRADE WHICH WE PROMOTE Our principle vision is North-South, in order to bring the distinct realities, initiatives and products closer together between the countries in the South and the society in which we live.

We also promote North-North Fair Trade with partnership with local producers who produce ecological products. We also include a spot on our page for local artists from Murcia to help commercialize local products.

Fair Trade South-South would be a more long term project; we are aware that the ideal situation would allow producers to sell their product in the same country that they produce in (in order to save costs and energy, easier adaption to local tastes and demand, the promotion of food sovereignty ), so that they do not have to depend upon Northern countries to develop consiencious companies, with decent salaries, investment in training

Training course in the Faculty of Education at the University of Murcia. February 2007.

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COMUNICATION AND AWARENESS RAISING · Seminars, workshops and courses in education centres, women´s centres, the university · Collaboration with the Youth Council of the Region of Murcia. · Circulating our products through breakfasts, lunches, or coffee-breaks in various associations, collectives and public administrations · Markets in education centres · Food sampling with Fair Trade products in different restaurants and cafeterias in Murcia. · Proposals for the inclusion of Fair Trade products in the local hotel industry in Murcia, especially coffee through our Café en Compañía proposal · Proposals for small business commerce, in which we facilitate the inclusion of products in small businesses. · Discussion forum on our webpage, as an open space to comment on topics suggested by friends or clients of BrujulaSur · News circulation through a newspaper in the region available to us through and existing agreement between the Union of Cooperative in the Region of Murcia (of which we are a part of) and the said media

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT · · · ·

We include the topic of the environment in the principle guidelines in our awareness raising campaign We promote responsible consumerism to prevent abuse and exhaustion of the natural resources We recycle materials whenever possible We always use paper bags to facilitate recycling

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N Currently, management and decisions related to the products and their commercialization is done by the Cooperative (La Brujula del Sur) of which we are three members. Management is transparent and democratic and we are currently updating our webpage so that in the future (near future we hope) we can provide our clients and general public with this claimed transparency (annual report, open accounts, money transfers )

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In reference to the Association, although we are 75 associates, decision making tends to fall upon the directive committee, which is formed by those who dedicate the most time and effort to the initiative.

Market in school

CHILD LABOUR EXPLOITATION This is one of the principles that Fair Trade tends to have the most effect on, especially for specific collectives. When we work in education centres we have a specific presentation dedicated to this topic and we also have an informative panel which we use in several of our awareness raising activities.

FUTURE CHALLENGES IN THE FIELD OF FAIR TRADE · Long distance shipping good or bad and with what Price ? · Fair Trade certification good or bad · What can the state coordinator do to help the little ones · Apparent competition with distributors who sell to the public at the same price as to us; this tendency most common on large orders · Is our initiative profitable? · How can with make our initiative compatible with others? · How can we introduce Fair Trade to other businesses? And in the public administration of Murcia?

Ana Ayala, Mari Carmen Nicolás and Isabel Nicolás. The three members of the Cooperative La BrújulaSur, with the prize awarded by UCOMUR, (Cooperatives Union of Murcia Region), December 2009.

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: ECOSOL URUGUAY STORE. Main Area of Work: SOLIDARITY ECONOMY AND FAIR TRADE Place (city, country): MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY Contact Person: ROSARIO RUSSI - COORDINADORA Telephone : (0059-8) 915 0248 Email: rosbart@gmail.com, tiendaecosol@gmail.com We b p a g e : h t t p : / / t i e n d a . e c o n o m i a s o l i d a r i a - u r u g u a y. o r g / i d e a / Mailing address: c/25 DE MAYO 687 CASI JUNCAL. MONTEVIDEO. Number of associates, separated by sex: 30 MEN AND 70 WOMEN BELONGING TO 23 ENTERPRISES. Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: 1 MEN AND 4 WOMAN Fair Trade work commencement year: 2002

INTRODUCTION The economic solidarity and fair trade store ECOSOL of Uruguay is the first store to be self managed by its very own entrepreneurs in Uruguay and in Latin America. It is an opportunity to market and empower the people who produce the products.

ORIGIN OF THE INITIATIVE The idea for an economic solidarity and fair trade store began in the middle of the economic and social crisis in Uruguay in 2002, with a background experience in marketing coming from Caritas Uruguay and its Feria de la Esperanza. From there, the economic solidarity movement began to organize itself through various commercial spaces such as national fairs and later, in 2004, in the Feria Canaria de Economia Solidaria del Espacio MERCOSUR Solidario, as another space for commerce but also as a space for exchange, training and learning.

By doing this, we begin to bring together business associates and not just individuals, who share the same needs. Little by little the need for a more permanent space for marketing arose, and that is when the idea to start a store for fair trade and economic solidarity products began to take form. Dialogue began with the City council of Montevideo to find a suitable space to market the products.

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At the same time, we were working with the Uruguayan Artisans Association to articulate what will later be called the Economic Solidarity Space, in conjunction with the Canario Council for Economic Solidarity, and with the NGO Retos al Sur (which is the institution who was able to guarantee funding to pay for the salary of an employee of the shop), the NGO Fair Trade, and with the Canelones City Hall which contributes permanent funding. Finally, the Montevideo city council found a locale, which was not in present condition as before it was a warehouse for construction materials and between all of the associates the reforms of the locale were undertaken.

In this way, after having established its need, the Working Committee was formed, and occupied the role of elaborating the rules, the conditions of spending and earning, and the management of the store. These are the current conditions today. It is important to note that besides being employees of the store during open hours, for the first two years the store keepers had to work, voluntarily, as security of stock, and self management.

A provisional directive committee was formed for two years, during the initiation of the project, made up of one delegate from each organization and one delegate of the associate assembly. In this committee, they were divided into subcommittees of: finances, marketing, directorial, etc. In the beginning there were 32 groups of associates, mostly from Montevideo and Canelones, but later others from other districts of Uruguay joined.

Income Accumulation.

In the first stage there were specific criteria for the accumulation of profit; first they needed to be associate groups and not individuals, or be members of networks such as the Canario Committee, the Economic Solidarity Space, NGO Fair Trade, etc, and secondly they needed to participate in the different committees of the store.

Later, with much enthusiasm, the quality of the products and materials were analysed, in hopes to respond more effectively to the principles of fair trade and economic solidarity.

In this way, the store was a place for networking the different entrepreneurs through their marketing, and at the same time, it was an economic solidarity movement that was taking root and influencing the networks of different districts. It is important to note that the economic solidarity movement in Uruguay has had very little funding for its development.

After two years, when the initial project for marketing ended a new outline was suggested.

Currently, the store is not profitable, but as a common space for marketing their products, it is very valuable for the entrepreneurs.

The end product is the creation of a non-profit organization, made up of all the entrepreneurs who wish to take part. Decisions are made through an assembly and the association functions as a civil association with a board of directors who are entrepreneurs themselves, and Retos al Sur supports the association with the funding it lacks.

The people who currently work in the store from Monday through Friday do so voluntarily.

As well, the association is a member of the Network of Latin American Economic Solidarity and Fair Trade Stores.

In Ecosol we have some products from other stores and other Latin-American countries, especially from MERCOSUR as a form of exchange and South-south fair trade.

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Since the civil association some things have changed, we only accept individual entrepreneurs in the store association because it in itself acts as a collective network. We hold monthly assemblies from which the board of directors is elected. The board of directors then elects the coordinator, who has many duties, one being on call during business hours. Another important topic has to do with the workshops and their formalities, which, for example, include documentation and receipts of these workshops in order to include them in the documentation of the store. Above all, we are attempting to incite greater participation in the separate committees.

The entire experience of the collective work has been very valuable for the entrepreneurs who are a part of the store. In Uruguay, it is the only such experience, of associative economic solidarity and fair trade work.

As well as through the Network of Latin American stores, there isnÂ’t an experience quite the same, although there are store which are managed my NGOs, there is not one run by the entrepreneurs.

Our biggest challenge now is making it a profitable venture.

OBJECTIVES OF ECOSOL Primary Objective.

Our primary objective is to help solidify and strengthen an alternative, supportive economy at the marketing level, keeping in mind the lack of alternatives that exist.

Specific Objectives (taken from the Rulebook) -

To promote and market products and services generated from the associated or cooperate entrepreneurs.

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To create a place of alternate, commercial integration within the Espacio Mercosur Solidario.

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To promote alternative values at an economic level: responsible consumption, fair trade, supportive and ecological production, supportive finances, etc.

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To create self-management mechanisms within the marketing process of the Store, on behalf of the entrepreneurs.

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To demonstrate how public policy can promote economic solidarity, by allowing dialogue and cooperation between the public and private sectors.

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To facilitate mechanisms of microcredit which guarantee future sales in the Store.

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To allow a metropolitan view of production and marketing in a supportive manner.

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DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THE INITIATIVE The development model is self managed and participative. We encourage local commerce and development with a south-south vision of fair trade.

Ideally, we would like to develop fair trade and economic solidarity together throughout Latin America, but we cannot permit the costs of exportation.

This would be challenging to pursue as the greatest participation that we have encountered has been in the marketing sector. This has been and continues to be a great weakness of ours when we analyse the numbers.

We need greater publicity of our venture to reach more of the general population.

The majority of entrepreneurs are women which currently make up 23 workshops, these women began their business ventures after the economic and social crisis o 2001-2002.

The majority of products are artisanal, with some food products such as: jams, sauces, liquors and also two recuperating businesses.

Teresita, Craftswoman.

In our case, there are fewer men because my husband worked and at the same time did the artisanal work, my son has always done cold porcelain handicrafts with his wife. Including once a loan, which was also used in India, was made to women, and therefore we couldn t accept it because men were also working. We believed it was an ethical question and so we had to remain united .

Montevideo, January 2010.

COMUNICATION AND AWARENESS RAISING Within the propaganda committee we attempt to raise awareness outside of the store.

We also work, through the contents committee in a series of mini courses, topics such as marketing, fair trade, management, etc as a service to our members. In reality, we must consolidate such work in a systematic manner, and actually, we are thinking that for this year, we will implement a course of initiation to be completed before integration in the store, about economic solidarity, in order to raise awareness among new participants that the idea is not only to bring their products and sell them, but that other aspects of the store are just as important such as economic solidarity and fair trade, and their role includes raising awareness and educating in these topics. This is one of our weaknesses and challenges.

As for the consumers who come to the store, we greet them with information about the store and the differences between it and the conventional market. In this way, we educate ourselves as well since we need to be able to transmit this information to the public.

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Another place of circulating our objectives is at the fairs, to which we always bring information pamphlets for the public, including location and a profile of the store.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT Our commitment to the care of the environment is one of the guidelines or criteria that the entrepreneurs have to follow in order to enter into the association and market their products in the store. This condition is positive and inclusive. To abide by this condition, the entrepreneur must be aware of the materials used, bought and traded during the production.

In Article 2 of the Guidebook says: “The stores must promote a management model based on democracy and participation, and a marketing model that contributes to the economic solidarity sector, with special attention to social inclusion, fair prices, product quality, sustainability and care of the environment in the production process, in a way to create a new relationship between producers and consumers who contribute to the promotion of responsible consumerism and a critical model of consumerism”.

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N The Store has many unique characteristics in its management. Keeping in mind the above mentioned objectives, it is necessary to practice, through the collective, the principles and values of Economic solidarity and fair trade, and we have created the following organization: Board of Directors: Chosen by the assembly of the Association, made up of five members, whose roles are to oversee the management of the store and ensure the objectives are met as is the spirit of an alternative method of commerce.

Assembly: The assembly is made up of all the participating entrepreneurs, and has the objective of: defining the guidelines for the Association, proposing to the Board of Directors suggestions, opinions and other initiatives that may come up to improve the management of the store, as well as control the management of the store. It is a place of dialogue, discussion, and agreement about how to conduct the management and the

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organization of the store, and how to deal with problems and challenges that occur in the growth and solidification of the project.

Work Committees: These committees are specific according to each job, such as: finance, marketing, selection and admission of entrepreneurs, international relations, contents, awareness, communication. These committees are made up by different entrepreneurs who contribute individually.

Customer Service: This is another aspect of the Store ECOSOL that is special and unique. There is one person in charge of the sales who is a volunteer, accompanied by the participating entrepreneurs who take turn serving.

It is another way to share experiences and complement the necessary activities of self-managing the venture.

Economic Sustainability: For the first two years, the store was economically supported by the Italian organization, Reorient, who contributed the salary of the store clerk. Currently, our human resources are all volunteers, and the NGO Retos al Sur contributes the complementary costs of management, and the Municipal Hall of Montevideo donates the building space.

It is important to note that the entrepreneurs contribute 26% of what is sold, and much volunteer time such as customer service, management, committee work, etc.

Various Activities: In the promotion and communication sector, we not only focus on the store as a self managed collective experience, but also on the economic solidarity and fair trade movement in Uruguay, and we have given capacity courses in different aspects that contribute to production and management of the entrepreneurs, breakfast meetings with different public agents, members of parliament and other collectives.

MERCOSUR Solidarity Corner: This is a place for exchange and sale of merchandise produced by the entrepreneurs of MERCOSUR member countries, as another form of integration and exchange.

CHILD LABOUR EXPLOITATION This is included as a condition of admission. Not everyone fulfills all of the criteria of adhesion in a perfect manner, but there is a minimum fulfillment necessary in order to advance and improve as entrepreneurs.

FUTURE CHALLENGES IN THE FIELD OF FAIR TRADE The Store has only been operating for a short time, and as such we can barely conclude anything about a process that requires cultural and structural changes in order to achieve what economic solidarity and fair trade proposes. We embark on this road with difficulty but with happiness and enthusiasm, convinced more each day that it is possible another form of economy, where the presence of the person, and community needs are the most important and most central to the activity.

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ECOSOL is the only store that we know of in Latin America that has a self-management system operated by the entrepreneurs that make up the venture, with all the difficulties that this implies, but also the successes, advances and growth that this model of operation signifies. The challenges are many and the road is long, but what motivates and pushes us is the belief in the person and solidarity that goes along with the movement.

A few weaknesses are: we need to focus more on promoting our store as well as the training in financial management and marketing. The challenges are: that the movement grows, has more autonomy and that answers can be found amongst all the entrepreneurs.

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: DIOCESE OF CARITAS IN TENERIFE-EL SURCO PROJECT-FAIR TRADE Main Area of Work: SOCIAL ACTION AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION Place (city, country): TENERIFE, ISLAS CANARIAS, ESPAÑA Contact Person: MIGUEL ÁNGEL GONZÁLEZ MARTÍN Telephone: (0034) 922 272 862 Email: elsurco@caritastenerife.org Web page: http://comerciojustoelsurco.blogspot.com/ Mailing address: C/ JUAN PABLO II, Nº 26 CP: 38004 SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE ISLAS CANARIAS - ESPAÑA Number of associates, separated by sex: 105 Men and 192 Women - 4 business Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: 4 Men and 1 Women Number of employees, separated by sex: 26 Men and 74 Women Number of volunteers, separated by sex: 233 Men and 694 Women Fair Trade work commencement year: 1996

INTRODUCTION This project from the Diocese of Caritas in Tenerife is called El Surco and represents a clear history of awareness raising and fair trade sales, through the practice of responsible consumerism. Through various educational activities, we promote responsible consumer habits to different interest groups. In a similar manner as the store in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, our project promotes the consumption of fair trade products and at the same time it provides information for the general public on this topic.

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THE ORIGINS OF THE INITIATIVE In the beginning, a group of people, led by the International Cooperation Program of Caritas Diocese of Tenerife, exceptionally aware of the North-South relations and fair trade, were interested in working in the field of fair trade and responsible consumerism. This is how the initiative began, as an interesting idea to cooperate with the South, implicating youth or elderly and with attractive activities in the parish or in the neighbourhood.

After analyzing the unjust situation of the world market, they decided to create a study and training team in 1996 focused on Fair Trade. This team operated for that year and the following, and the dream of opening a Store began to arise. In 1998 Caritas planted the possibility of the idea for: a Solidarity Store in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, a Surco for the hope of many little cooperatives and artisans.

El Surco, became reality at the end of 1998, with a strong support from the dozen volunteers; people very much excited for this Project. Currently, this project is found in the Area of International Cooperation, specifically in the Education for Development Programs sector. This sector has been working in the field of education and awareness raising of responsible consumerism and fair trade for many years, with the objective of reaching the Christian community and the general society with the very real alternative that fair trade offers to the actual market economy.

Since the beginning, the Project was not going to be limited to the establishment of a sales venue for fair trade products, but was to be a platform for further awareness and education in responsible consumerism, in order to generate spaces of reflection of different topics related to and in search of the consolidation of social justice.

SURCO´S PRINCIPLE OBJECTIVES The International Cooperation sector treats Fair Trade as an alternative to the conventional international trade system and as a sustainable solution for the unprivileged producers.

We are looking to promote better marketing conditions for cooperatives through awareness and campaigns directed at the general public, who as the ones who must learn to consume responsibly, are the central actors who must push the changes of habits necessary so that these products have a stable market.

General Objective: El Surco is a real and concrete bet for Responsible Consumerism and Fair Trade based on the principles of justice through the Diocese of Caritas in Tenerife.

Especific Objectives: · Facilitate training and information about Fair Trade and Responsible Consumerism · Promote Fair Trade and Responsible Consumerism in the Christian community and the general society through awareness acitivites, organized through the Committee of Archpriests. · Offer a physical space to develop Fair Trade: The store El Surco is dedicated to marketing, raising awareness and informing.

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CREATE OPPORTUNITIES AND A COLLECTIVE OF PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE INITIATIVE The Project is responsible for all of the operational functions of the store, including marketing and raising awareness, which is coordinated through different leaders of Caritas and the volunteers. Their work conditions are guaranteed to be decent and to follow the Spanish labour laws.

THE MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THE INITIATIVE FOLLOWS The Diocese of Caritas in Tenerife understands social action as an organized intervention that intends to develop together with our most underprivileged brothers and sisters through meeting their most concrete and immediate needs, as well as modifying the situations that generate poverty and social exclusion, through promotion of structural changes in the medium and long term.

We believe that this task needs to take place in the form of a solidarity promise from our community parishes, and through the implication and cooperation of the citizens that work for the promotion of social justice.

The Diocese of Caritas in Tenerife has, in order to effectively work for justice and for the poor and excluded, a numer of goals: 路

Raise consciousness and awareness in the parish communities about the work for justice and the service to the poorest which replicates human indignity.

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Promote training for action towards social charity and service in social justice. To recognize, promote and defend the dignity and inherent rights of people, preferably the most underprivileged.

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To help and accompany the individual process and group processes that promote the integration of the underprivileged and facilitate their ability to be responsible agents in their own social integration, psychophysical, social, cultural, moral and spiritual development.

We have a firm promise to eradicate poverty, promote employment, encourage social integration and create favourable environments for social development. Maintaining peace and security within nations and between nations; democracy; state of rights; promoting and protecting all human rights and fundamental liberties, including the right to develop; efficient, transparency, and accountability in the management of public affairs; gender equality and full respect of the fundamental principles and rights in the workplace and the rights of migratory workers are essential elements for the success of social and sustainable development, centered on the human.

Social development requires not only economic activity, but also a reduction in inequalities and in the distribution of the wealth, and a more equal distribution of the benefits of economic growth within nations and between nations, with a international market system that is open, equal, safe, non-discriminatory, foreseeing, transparent, multilateral and regulated, that maximizes the increase of opportunities and guarantees social justice, such as the acknowledgment of the link between social development and economic growth.

Universal access to quality education includes the possibility to acquire the capacity needed within an economy based on knowledge, as is health service and other basic social services. The equality of opportunities to actively participate in the development process, and receive its benefits, is also necessary and fundamental in the fight against poverty.

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Here at El Surco we believe that all of the above is a model of development that can be reached with fair trade, as it is not just a simple commercial operation yet it needs to be part of a coherent chain of social development based on justice and human dignity.

GENDER The primary problem identified is the assumption and compromise, in an integral and widespread manner throughout all of the actions and for all of the agents, of gender equality.

The diocese of Caritas in Tenerife is made up of mainly women; therefore it is clear that there is no restriction of obstacle for professional or voluntary Access to the organization. The directive and coordination organs are made up of men and women.

In this moment, there is no specific activity for the empowerment of women contracted as member of the organization; however we do work with empowerment through our volunteers, through workshops, awareness activities, and training and capacity building workshops.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OVER TIME THAT HAVE SERVED AS LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE Weaknesses: The little experience the our organization has with marketing is without a doubt one of the problems we experienced in the beginning since a store that markets products has a series of characteristics that no other project that we have worked on has had.

Strengths: The basic ideology of the Project the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church- has been fundamental in clearly directing the principles of our actions. Caritas´s motto We work for justice is always our reference and objective as we know where we wish to go and what we wish to accomplish with our fair trade project.

THE VISION OF FAIR TRADE THAT WE PROMOTE In our project we promote a vision of north-south fair trade, if we are to understand north as the place where we raise awareness about fair trade in order to change the unjust structures of traditional commerce and distribute certified fair trade products, and south we understand as a place where we find the cooperatives which, through the fair trade movement, succeed in providing a life of dignity through their work for its members and their families, and who have a distribution channel to the north where they can market their products.

Due to our geographical situation and local economic specifications, we are aware of and support north-north and south-south fair trade as well.

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COMMUNICATION AND AWARENESS Communication and Awareness are two of the basic pillars that show where our Project sits and where, with direct initiative and indirect diffusion we can spread the word about fair trade: · Our awareness is based, through seminars and campaigns directed at the general public and the Christian community, on an education strategy, social consciousness and a wake up call for the reality of the international market and the model of persona a society that it generates. We look to create new alternatives and transformations through fair trade and responsible consumerism in order to advance towards a new, more just world, in which there is active and true solidarity. · When it comes to communication we use all of the means that are available to us: blogs, email, campaigns (virtual and real), social networks, pamphlets, videos, presentations, social media (television, radio, press, magazines ) We communicate and raise awareness according to the following model: The store: is a physical space where you can buy products and where we diffuse information about the added values that each product has.

In the store, we also receive visits from school groups or parish groups to whom we explain what fair trade is and what it means through a dynamic, participative and educative presentation. We always offer a taste of the food products during the visits so that the visitors can test their virtues.

The store also is our passive information point since everyone who visits it can receive material about campaigns or general information about presentations throughout the year.

Training: we mainly give awareness seminars in educational centres and parishes, as they are the main actors that we have decided to focus in our programs, and we dedicate our time and efforts.

We also give different courses and workshops to the general public.

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Markets and stands: Through the parishes and the education centres we celebrate markets and stands of awareness and sale of products, in order to reach more people in a specific moment and specifically to those in the said organization. Some of our stands are held in schools where the children have prepared a play for their families and friends about what they have learned about fair trade.

These activities are the important in the diffusion of our fair trade message, and further information is available in pamphlets, posters and obviously through asking whoever is manning the stand.

Some stands are annual or are repeated throughout the year such as: The Social Formation School of Caritas in Tenerife (which happens in mid November) and the International Congress of Faith-Culture Dialogue organized

by ISTIC, Tenerife.

Tastings: Throughout the year we have held “tastings” in the store to celebrate certain dates (International Fair Trade Day, Fair Trade Labelling Day, Rosconada de Reyes) to provide the public with an opportunity to taste the products of the store and come and get to know the store.

Also, whenever we have a group visit the store, we offer them a tasting of the products so that they can try them first hand.

Charity Day-Corpus Christi: On this day (which, depending on the year, falls on either the end of May or the beginning of June) a number of parishes, mainly in Tenerife, but also on the Gomera island, hold a fair trade market with the help of Caritas volunteers, and these markets have become a fixed event, along with other religious activities that happen on the same day. In this way, along with the Corpus celebration, we are able to spread the word of the values and objectives of fair trade to the Christian community and the general public.

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Blog: Our main window of communication is our blog http://comerciojustoelsurco.blogspot.com .

This blog is a live web page, constantly updated, where we publish all of our activities and news about fair trade in the national and international scene, such as campaigns, product information, cooperatives, other stores, videos, surveys, links We are not an isolated organization, we work with many networks.

We are convinced that the best way to end with the injustices is the access to information and in that way the consumer can understand how fair trade works in small and large ways against poverty, and how it provides real solutions to resolve real problems. On the other hand, the consumer can, thanks to the access to this information, decide whether he or she wishes to be a part of the solution. The blog began in June 2007 and has published, up until February 2010, more than 300 entries and has had more than 38000 visits, not only from Spain, but from many parts of the world.

Social Networking (Facebook): In April 2009 we created our Facebook page and in February 2010 we counted more than 1000 people who follow our page. It is a tool that we use to directly interact with people, institutions, businesses and associations who wish to, or who have become friends of our Facebook page. We can leave messages in real time for our friends and vice versa, about our activities, proposals, information, events In some cases, as a way of communicating and raising awareness, we use the blog and in others, the social networking characteristics of Facebook to reach our followers and the public.

The page is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/COMERCIO-JUSTO-EL-SURCO/68641247605 Youtube: We have a video channel on youtube where we upload videos made by ourselves or others about fair trade or related campaigns that we believe interesting.

Our youtube channel is: http://www.youtube.com/user/comerciojustoelsurco Pamphlets: This is a passive mode of communication that we use in the store and in the stands and markets.

Campaigns: · Reusable Bags: We started a specific campaign directed at the diffusion of these bags, for example various collections of cotton bags with painted messages or designs, which gives them an added value and encourages regular use of the bags in everyday life. · International Fair Trade Day: We participate in the activities organized by the State Coordinator of Fair Trade and the WFTO, with the proposed materials and with specific activities adapted to our reality and environment. · Fair Trade Labelling Month: We participate with the materials and activities proposed by the FAIRTRADE Labelling Association. · Pobreza Cero (Zero Poverty): We promote and participate in this campaign with the materials facilitated by the SpanishCoordinator of NGOs for Development (CONGDE Spanish abbreviation).

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· Invisible Friend of the Pillar Parish: For 6 years now a group of Caritas volunteers from the Santa Cruz in Tenerife parish have coordinated the Invisible Friend of Fair Trade with the participation of between 150-200 people each year. This activity is held always in December with three objectives: for people from different parish groups to get to know one another, it forces people to visit the store El Surco and encourages regular patrons and new visitors to stop by the store, because as a requirement, all gifts exchanged must be bought from the store.

Everything ends with an event divided into three parts: gift exchange, musical or theatrical Christmas event, and up-todate information of what Caritas and the Fair Trade movement is doing to fight for justice. · Christmas y Reyes: We have a specific Christmas campaign to promote buying gifts more responsibly and to encourage incorporating fair trade as a more prominent actor. We do this in a variety of ways: Christmas baskets, nativity scenes for individuals and collectioneers, post card contest for both Christmas and Reyes.

Event Room: Above the store we have, since 2008, an empty space that is the same size as the store, which is prepared for expositions.

Up until now, we have held two events: At Christmas 2008 a nativity scene, and in 2009 an exposition of all the post cards sent for the Post Card Contest. With more than 250 participants, the contest was a success and we invited distinct centres to visit the display.

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Networking Work: We are members of the Interdiocese Network for Fair Trade in Spanish Caritas (RICJ) and through this network we are a part of the State Coordinator of Fair Trade, which is a part of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO).

We also work, through RICJ, with the Fair Trade Labelling Organization, as well as other organizations such as the Spanish Coordinator of NGOs for Development. We participate in campaigns and we adapt them to our specific area and projects.

With the RICJ, of which 22 Caritas Diocese from different Spanish regions participate, we coordinate the elaboration of informative materials, awareness, activities, campaigns, and also the analysis of commercial agreements and important partnerships directly with cooperatives. We work together, based on the fundamentals of Spanish Caritas, about how we need to conduct our movements in favour of fair trade.

Also, with education centres, other NGOs and fair trade stores on the island or off of the island, we work in network and in collaboration with different cases.

Summer Camp: With the Young Caritas volunteers group we held a camp out based exclusively on awareness activities about fair trade. The camp out was 4 days long in July 2009 with youth ages 13-21.

Geographic Area: Our project mainly focuses on the area of the Nivariense Diocese, made up of the islands Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, and properly called it is the Province of Santa Cruz in Tenerife that is one of two provinces that makes up the Autonomous Community of the Canaries.

Coordination: All communication and awareness raising is based on the following structure: · Coordination meetings with the volunteers of the Promotion and Leadership department so that they understand the demands and initiatives of fair trade and responsible consumerism. · Accompaniment of the volunteers · Coordination with the Administration Department · Meeting with the Archprestales Committee · Market reviews

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT As part of Spanish Caritas, we participate in the Grow Climate Justice campaign: http://www.caritas.org/esactivities/climate_change/Campaign.html As well, we participate in various campaigns from other organizations.

In all of our activities and seminars we always value the criteria caring for the environment and we propose concrete action that each individual can do in his or her daily life to acquire habits that respect the environment, above all, to do with saving water and energy and recycling.

We understand that the students at the education centres, although they can influence their parents, don´t have great decision making powers when it comes to buying groceries, and for this reason we focus on responsible consumerism and caring for the environment as their contribution to reduce their ecological footprint.

We are always looking for real, concrete, and probable compromises.

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In daily life, in the project, we always use, when possible, recycled paper; for the pamphlets, posters, documents, letters, etc. We recycle what we use, mostly paper and cardboard (from boxes we receive). We use natural raffia in the gift baskets we make, not only for the aesthetic appeal, but because we donÂ’t want to use the common raffia which is plastic.

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C M A N A G E M E N T The decision making and democratic management in the Caritas Diocese of Tenerife are the following: a) The Assembly of the Diocese b) The Diocese Committee c) The Permanent Commission d) The Directive Team: 1. Episcopal delegate.

2. Director 3. General Secretary The Assembly of the Caritas Diocese, presided by the Bishop, its General Vicars or its Episcopal Delegate, is the decisive organ of the Caritas Diocese and is made up of: a) Volunteer members of the Diocese Committee of Caritas b) The priests or delegate priests for each Caritas parish c) The volunteer coordinator of each Caritas parish The Diocese Assembly meets regularly each two years, and extraordinarily when the Bishop or the Diocese Committee calls for it.

The functions of the Assembly of the Caritas Diocese are: 1. Evaluate and approve the Management Report, the Balances and the Economic Budget.

2. Approve the General Project of the Caritas Diocese when necessary.

3. Establish criteria and priority action plans, such as the orientation practices for the different levels of Caritas.

4. Ratify the criteria that the constitution lays out and the distribution of the Funds of the Diocese and the Christian Communication of Goods, and the economic balances and the budget of the Caritas Diocese Committee.

5. Ratify the admission of new members in the Caritas Diocese, upon recommendation by the Caritas Diocese Committee.

6. Ratify the Coordinators and Delegates of the Archpriests as members of the Committee of the Diocese, according to the established proceeding of the same Committee.

7. Ratify that the delegates of the Associations, Institutions, Orders or Entities of social charitable action, of Caritas, and the members are part of the Diocese Committee.

8. Entrust upon the Diocese Committee those operations considered necessary for the next two year period.

9. Study and resolve other topics that appear in the Agenda of the session or that could appear in it in the future, in a similar way that these Statutes have laid out.

10.

Raise the proposals of reform or renovation of the statutes to the Bishop.

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The Committee of the Caritas Diocese. This is the executive organ of the Assembly of the Diocese that is made up of the following members: a) The Episcopal delegate and subdelegate b) The Director and Subdirector c) The General Secretary d) The Archpriest Coordinator e) The priest, delegate archpriest, chosen by the priests of the Archpriesthood. f) The delegate of each one of the federated entities of Caritas Diocese g) The responsible of the departments of General Services of the Caritas Diocese, who act in a consultative mode when contracted. h) The Bishop can directly name other members of the Committee that he considers convenient.

The following are functions specific to the Committee of the Caritas Diocese: 1. To ensure the decisions of the Assembly of the Diocese are applied and the norms of the Statutes are followed 2. To ensure the agreements of the Assembly of the Diocese in which the administration of the Diocese Funds of Communication of Christian Goods are being followed. Approve, in the first 6 months of each year, the Memory and the Economic Account Balance of the Caritas Diocese, corresponding to the previous year, closing on December 31.

3. Make decision that are necessary for the success of activities within the Diocese of Caritas, and are in line with the criteria and directives established by the Assembly of the Diocese and the General Project of Caritas.

4. Propose to the Assembly, the approval of the General Project of Caritas when applicable, and also the Management Report, the economic balances and budgets.

5. Study and resolve, in a provisional manner, the applications of admission to the Caritas Diocese from various Associations, Institutions, Orders and Institutes of social-charity action, until the next Assembly.

6. Encourage, accompany and back up the necessary relations and coordination with organisms and entities, both public and private, made by the director or the delegated person.

The Committee of the Diocese will meet regularly every trimester, called by the director with 15 days warning.

The Permanent Committee is made up of the following members: a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i)

Episcopal delegate Subdelegate (if exists) Director Subdirector (if exists) General Secretary Administrator A delegate priest of the Caritas Archpriesthood, chosen by the members of the Diocese Committee.

A Coordinator of the archpriesthood (volunteer) Departmental Responsible of the General Services of the Caritas Diocese.

The following are the function of the Permanent Committee: 1. Act as the executive organ of the Diocese Committee and prepare meetings.

2. Present the General Program annually to the Caritas Diocese Committee for its study and approval according

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to the General Project of Caritas and the directive lines of the Diocese Assembly.

3. Resolve ordinary and urgent matters that come up in the management of the Caritas Diocese.

4. Make decisions that are necessary for the smooth operation of Caritas and its activities in the Diocese, according to the established criteria of the Assembly of the Diocese Committee 5. Establish criteria for the internal operation and coordination of all the agents of the programs and services of Caritas in the Diocese.

6. Take on any decisions entrusted to it by the Diocese Committee 7. Take proposals to the Diocese Committee when necessary.

The permanent committee meets regularly once a week and upon proposal of the Director or the Episcopal delegate when they see necessary.

CHILD LABOUR EXPLOITATION We condemn child labour and child exploitation and any other form of injustice that impinges upon a fundamental right of the person.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE OF FAIR TRADE Diffusion: Fair trade needs to be known by a larger percentage of the public. They need to know what it is, that it consists of and what the benefits are.

Daily life: The majority of actions that we do every day we do naturally, therefore in order for the true incorporation of fair trade, it is necessary to work towards the incorporation and transformation of our daily habits until fair trade products are consumed and demanded in our everyday life. Consumption extraordinary, punctual and without continuity is not a real solution for the producers, or for the distributors, or for the environment, or for the storesÂ….

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Professionalization: Without losing sight of the objectives and principles of justice and development, fair trade needs to be as professional as possible in every link of the chain in order to be able to compete with the globalized market and be able to change the injustices of today. Economic development is not incompatible with all of the fundamental rights that fair trade stands for, and it is proven that it is possible for everyone in the chain (made up of producer, intermediate, importer, distributer, store, and final consumer) can win, and not just a small part as what happens in the majority of cases today.

We cannot forget that we are talking about “trade”, and this implicates a series of actions that cannot be overlooked because they are very effective (marketing, client service, profits…), but even so, trade is even better when economic profits are on par with social gains, which are the most important for stability, development and progress for all.

Institutions: public figures and administrations, of whatever form, must develop a true ethical consumerism which would stabilize an important part of the market and would give coherency in an effective way.

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: ESPANICA S. COOP. Main Area of Work: FAIR TRADE Place (city, country): COSLADA, ESPAÑA Contact Person: ANDRES LARRINAGA ARECHAGA Telephone : (0034) 916.720.905 Email: andres@espanica.org Web page: www.espanica.org Mailing address: c/ PUERTO DE BARCELONA, 4 28821 COSLADA (Madrid) Number of associates, separated by sex: 3 MEN AND 0 WOMEN Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: 3 MEN AND 0 WOMEN Number of employees, separated by sex: 3 MEN AND 0 WOMEN Number of volunteers, separated by sex: 1 MEN AND 7 WOMEN Fair Trade work commencement year: 1997

INTRODUCTION ESPANICA is an alternative economic project, created in Madrid by a small organization in the early 1980s, called the Asociación Rubén Darío, which is a Hispanic-Nicaraguan friendly organization.

The work of this organization is centred on importing products from Nicaraguan cooperatives. It encourages fair trade as an empowerment tool for the producers, through participation and decision making in the production and commercialization of their products.

THE ORIGINS OF THE INITIATIVE We are a Fair Trade organization that, since 1997, has been working in importing and commercializing excellent NICARAGUAN COFFEE, originating from cooperatives from this Central American country.

This initiative began in 1994. The RUBÉN DARÍO Association with its Hispanic-Nicaraguan friendly ties which for years, had been working with cooperation projects in support of the peasant cooperative sector- did an impact evaluation study of these projects in 1994. The conclusion could not have been more depressing: the final benefits of these above mentioned projects were not materializing, and in the end, the peasants were losing money when they sold their products on the national

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and international market, due to the drop in prices of raw materials.

Based on an analysis how, and in what capacity Fair Trade already existed in Spain and Europe, our expectations were not satisfied with these projects. From our analysis, the problem was not in paying the farmers a minimum price for the coffee (which is traditionally supported by Fair Trade), but instead it was that the farmers had never controlled the transformation and production processes of their products, nor the benefits that were derived from them. The issue needs to be addressed from the point of view of the producers and farmers of raw materials, and self appropriate the intermediate process of production and its benefits. This is where ESPANICA enters into the equation: the way in which the Nicaraguan farmers could self appropriate the intermediate process of production and commercialization is to expand their participation in the capital of the entity that conducts the production and commercialization of their products, even if this entity is situated in Spain.

Said and done. In 1996, the Rubén Darío Association founded the Country-City Foundation with 50% participation in ESPA-NICA, alongside the National Agriculture´s Union of Associated Producers (UNAPA), an organization of more than 20,000 Nicaraguan cooperative families. In 2003, the Limited Society converted to a cooperative, formed by three associates who came to be the employees of the cooperative, plus two entities, the now called FUNDACIÓN RUBÉN DARÍO CAMPO CIUDAD (FRD-CC), and the Centre for Investigation and Promotion of Rural Development (CIPRES), also Nicaraguan.

OBJECTIVES OF ESPANICA Objectives: · Create through a modest experience- an alternative model of economic relations between villages · Support the constant battle of the Nicaraguan peasants to ensure economic, social and cultural sovereignty. · Promote knowledge, reflection and debate around the need to create new, alternative economic relations between people and villages.

Principles: · We work as a strictly non-profit organization, which means that our associate employees of the cooperative do not receive dividends of the annual profits.

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· We promote raising awareness through action, with consumer groups at the heart of this action, as the people in these groups convert into dynamic supporters who can maintain the project. · We push for inter-cooperation with entities and networks that participate in the construction of alternative relationships, not only in the area of commerce, but also in finance, communication, etc.

CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARDS THIS INITIATIVE The peasant producers are landowners and cooperative associates, which guarantees a lack of exploitation in terms of salaries. At the same time, these cooperatives associate with unions and centres, which provide mutual support. Finally, these cooperatives conglomerate with national federations, which gives them the capacity for dialogue and public and political pressure.

DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THIS INITIATIVE The initiative is based on a model of development which opposes labour exploitation as well as the exploitation of natural resources, it is important to note that development is understood not as growth, but development of well being and sovereignty. In order to do this, it is necessary to foment associative activities and inter-cooperation instead of the principle of competition- to guarantee the development in which we believe. We believe that cooperation strengthens the ability to defend sovereignty and progress.

GENDER Women participate in an equal manner as farmers, producers and peasants, within the cooperative, even though traditionally, the percentage of women in these positions is significantly lower than that of men. Through our counterpart, regular courses and seminars about gender equality, women´s rights, and violence against women are given.

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STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON A LONG TERM SCALE AND LESSONS FOR THE PRESENT Risking sounding anything but modest, our strengths are of internal character, while our weaknesses tend to be related to the environment where activities have taken place.

As strengths, it is very important, as much in the beginning, as throughout the development of the project, to keep straight the key ideas of what we are trying to do, how we wish to achieve it, and what theoretic and practical expectations exist. These approaches must be explicitly shared by every person and entity involved.

This will create coherence which provides direction for the project and also allows for the appropriate response to events and challenges which may occur during the development of the project.

For this reason, internal cohesion is equally important, as is the value of the human factor and its care, without ignoring discomfort or differences.

Finally, we believe that by placing qualitative objectives above quantitative and consequently with the objectives and goals that we establish, we are being coherent.

As weaknesses, the situation of the Nicaraguan cooperative sector during the last few years has been difficult, having to confront lack of protection against structural adjustment plans and free trade treaties, national bank crises, the fall of the international raw materials prices, etc .

In general, this is a project that goes against the current, and confronts a social trend of consumerism with little awareness and little knowledge, based on, for the most part, ignorance of the realities in the South despite the available means to avoid it-.

We have also had to confront a vision of fair trade in terms of help for those less fortunate , when really what it is so we understand- is a way of participating in the construction of alternative models of economic relations on a global and local scale.

THE VISION OF FAIR TRADE WHICH WE PROMOTE Fair trade is a critique of the global model of economic relations, and in such, we cannot reduce the area of interest to a determined flow of commerce. We promote a vision in which the production and consumption are not determined by an ever shrinking number of economic actors; the geographic area does not matter, because the need for an alternative model is global.

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COMMUNICATION AND RAISING AWARENESS The relationship between our consumer groups is based on an exchange of knowledge, reflections and proposals, through meetings, seminars and debates.

We look for direct contact and bidirectional contact, as is the permanent invitation to action through raising awareness. All of which translates into participation and impulse for local networks and sectors.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT Shade grown coffee, which is the method used in Nicaragua, is grown under natural forests, on small plots without the abuse of synthetic agrochemicals. By using these methods, the cultivation of coffee does not deteriorate the surrounding area and does not induce erosion, which can be so dangerous for a country like Nicaragua where 75% of the land is mountainous slopes.

Since 2005 we have imported organic coffee, with the respective certification, and since 2009 we have imported ecological cashews.

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N Important decisions about the Project are made by consensus. Commercial decisions are made with agreement of the cooperative farmers and the federations that represent them. Strategic decisions about the project are made by the associate workers and associates, without elections or votes of any kind. It is important to maintain up to date information on management and economic matters of the cooperative.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE OS FAIR TRADE 路 To promote the diffusion and knowledge of the peasant farmer麓s battle to the entire planet, in hope to demand a change in the industrialized agricultural methods that so intensely exploit the earth, water and other resource, and promote a peasant-based agriculture alternative. 路 To deepen the synergies of above mentioned battles, with the construction of an alternative economy, in the North as well as the South, with the social movements which are presently forming, towards another possible world.

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: Asociación LA TENDA DE TOT EL MÓN Main Area of Work: SHOP FAIR TRADE AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS INCLUDED A DOCUMENTATION CENTER. IN RECENT YEARS WE HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING A PROJECT OF ETHICS PUBLIC PURCHASING WITH GOVERNMENTs AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS. Place (city, country): PUERTO DE SAGUNTO (VALENCIA), ESPAÑA Contact Person: PILAR CARCELLER SALES Telephone : (0034) 962679026 Email: correo@la-tenda.org Web page: www.la-tenda.org Mailing address: PASAJE VICENTE MOLINER, 4-BAJO. 46520-PUERTO SAGUNTO Number of associates, separated by sex: 60 WOMEN AND 20 MEN Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: 5 WOMEN AND 3 MEN Number of employees, separated by sex: 2 WOMEN Number of volunteers, separated by sex: 22 WOMEN AND 8 MEN Fair Trade work commencement year. 1998

INTRODUCTION TENDA DE TOT EL MÓN is an association that promotes responsible consumption through the marketing of Fair Trade Products and also works on the ethics public purchasing among other activities, in the city of Puerto de Sagunto, Valencia..

THE ORIGINS OF THE INITIATIVE La Tenda was born to a group of youth, some with experience in the solidarity in the South field, with ideals to transform the world from our everyday reality in our village . The idea began to mature and we began to look for a locale, a name, an image, and contacting some fair trade importers.

It became a non-profit organization, and began to promote its project to the citizens Initially (in the first 5 years) there were no employees and we maintained regular hours from volunteers. The initial financial investment came with a loan from individuals who were betting for the project (without interest) and then we began to pay them back.

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It is important to note that the initiative did not begin in a city, but a town of about 64 000 habitants with surrounding areas reaching no more than 1000 habitants. It did not begin as a link to a larger organization either.

OBJECTIVES OF LA TENDA DE TOT EL MÓN The mission of the organization is: To contribute to reduce the inequalities between the North and the South through the marketing of fair trade products and raising awareness about responsible consumerism through education for development.

We understand fair trade as a form of cooperation and a tool to reduce poverty in countries in the South, in which the consumers in the North can invest with our everyday consumer acts, which differentiates it from other forms of intervention with tend to be punctual acts, payments, etc, and where we can rethink our mode of development every day.

We have supported, from the beginning, the necessity to maintain the fair trade store as the key vertebrae of activity even if it means more energy on behalf of the personnel or more money is spent.

It is very enriching being able to participate in the Autonomous Coordinators (CVONGD and Xarxa de Consum Responsible de la Comunitat Valenciana) and the National Coordinator (Coordinadora Estatal de Comercio Justo)

CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARDS THIS INITIATIVE Every activity of the organization has been coordinated and executed by a team of between 5-10 people assisted by volunteers (about 20-30).

After 5 years, we decided to hire a person to work part time in the store and we have kept it that way.

We have been able to pay their salary with the gains of the store, but we do not have the capacity to increase their hours. For 2 years we have opted for substantial awareness raising grants which has allowed us to hire two

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people, one for each project. These jobs are conditional upon the financing of public organisms, since we are unable to finance them solely through the association. Through the selection process for these positions, we had a lot of trouble assuring continuity, among other factors, because we are not located in the capital city, but in a town where the third sector has few professional opportunities.

The labour conditions are defined in the Collective Agreement for entities of social character in the Valencia Community.

Employees work with the coordination team, and meet periodically with them.

DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THE INITIATIVE We support a sustainable, fair, and respectful, in terms of the environment, development based on solidarity. The synergy with other organizations that work in this field, above all at the local level where we can attempt to transform our reality together, is very important to us.

GENDER Off the bat, we haven’t identified any gender problems in the organization, we also do not have a policy regarding equal opportunity, but we don´t believe that it has been necessary up until now. It is true that from the beginning, we have been more women, so is true in the Board of Directors as in the work groups and with the volunteers and employees (out of 13 people there is only 1 man).

We do undertake awareness activities about this topic, as we are very sensitive to the issue: we adhere to the Pact against Gender Violence of the Town council of Sagunto and around November we always hold some sort of activity related to cooperation from our vantage point.

Around the 8th of March, the Day of the Woman Worker, we join with the vindication and training program organized by the collective women workers of the municipality.

In relation to this, when we have the opportunity to visit producers (not often) we always like to enrich ourselves.

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STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON A LONG TERM SCALE AND LESSONS FOR THE PRESENT STRENGTHS: · Coordination team is very well qualified to work (all volunteers), very dedicated and auto sufficient in many sectors in regards to their human and professional road. · Active, militant and dedicated volunteers (progressive process, as it hasn t always been this way) · High confidence and belief in the benefits and necessity of the project for everyone involved · Influence in our town and environment (also a progressive process) WEAKNESSES: · Small organization with difficulty to accomplish all activities and initiatives in which we participate · De-motivation and tiredness for the hyperactivity in many moments · We have not found the model for which would allow our employees to have greater gains, quality, implication and self-sufficiency · Little professionalism · Lack of economic autonomy that would allow us to undertake awareness raising activities (we depend on grants)

THE VISION OF FAIR TRADE WHICH WE PROMOTE We believe that fair trade is based on principles that can be applied in North-North, South-South or NorthSouth relations.

We began as a North-South oriented organization, but we have been influenced, over time, by other organizations working in fair trade and economic solidarity or social economy, and believe that fair trade SouthSouth is necessary when targeting objectives of Food Sovereignty.

It is true that as an organization, we follow our initial premise, and La Tenda sells exclusively Fair Trade products. The introduction of products of the north that follow the lines of social economy is a topic that we need to discuss.

We have created synergies with other organizations of the North that are working with responsible consumerism and sustainable developmet, for example, a sale point where we place organic fair trade products is at an ecological farm in Alboraya so that clients that visit his farm also are exposed to our products.

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COMUNICATION AND RAISING AWARENESS · Work to do with marketing and sales (store and fairs): information about group producers, campaigns · Centre of Documentation and Resources, it is found in the store. It is made up of books, pedagogical resources, videos, CDs, available for loan and consult, fundamentally used by teachers but also some children. The topics that they cover deal with the North-South relations, multiculturalism, politics, economics, ecology, peace and disarmament, etc. Soon we will have a CDR_online to enable online access to the materials. · Activities in primary, secondary and adult education centres as well as language schools, etc. · An information day annually directed at the general public about ethical finance, basic economics, ethical public purchase, etc. · Coffee Break: where we analyze topics such as the current situation in Colombia, Chiapas, generic medication, etc. or we create dialogue with people in the South. · Periodic expositions in the store · Campaigns with activities: every year we participate in the Campaign in Fiscal Objection to the Military Budget, Pobreza Cero, Clean Clothes, etc. · Project developing Public Ethical Purchase in the town councils in the region, and also incorporating responsible consumerim in social organizations. · Project Café Morvedre: Morvdere más justo , in collaboration with Alternativa3 which is the promotion of fair trade coffee that has been chosen by public institutions and the social network of the region through participatory means (70% Colombia y 30% Tanzania) and also the image was chosen through a popular vote between 3 photos. It has been an excellent identification process for fair trade.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT Internally we have, for a few years now, a Promise to the Environment on behalf of La Tenda de Tot el Món , which lists everything that we can do daily to help reduce our environmental impact (types of products we use to clean, recycle, paper we use, light bulbs, turn off the computers, etc.). We are trying to follow through with this and review it every 2 years.

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In catering (coffee-breaks) which we have recently initiated through public ethical purchase, we have also been able to spread the message of sustainability as much as possible to those at the event.

We also adhere to Madera Justa and collaborate with Greenpeace. We have connections with local ecological groups and collaborate at the Day of the Tree.

D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N Decisions are made by the people who make up the team , who are those who initiated the project or those volunteers who have proven committed to La Tenda and have made the step into the management of the organization. We try to coincide with the Board of Directors The lower level decisions are referred to what we call the coordina , where we include those who are employed with us, but the real decisions are not left up to those who are contracted.

Then there are responsibles for each area: Store, Education for Development/Documentation Centre, Communication and Image, Treasury, Volunteers.

We do not do external audits, we are a small organization, but we try to, every 2-3 years, have a work session aimed at external persons where we establish the strategic lines of action for the next few years.

CHILD LABOUR In the North this is not of the same relevance as in the South. Fundamentally we work through awareness campaign directed at schools where we contacted a local theatre group to do a representation of two different young girls: one in the North and one who sewed balls in the South.

We also collaborate with Fundació Pau I Solidaritat of the union CCOO with Child Labour expositions.

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CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE OF FAIR TRADE · Increase the impact, at a marketing and sales point of view, as we are not advancing with the initiative. Analyse the causes, establish strategies of diffusion on a national level that reach the public (always with content ) · Consolidate the fair trade movement: the debates about the different visions have been very enriching but the form has not been adequate for these debates. Those of us who are involved in this process as volunteers, it has created various contradictions.

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GENERAL INFORMATION Institution: THANAPARA SWALLOWS DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY (TSDS)1 Main Area of Work: FAIR TRADE Place (city, country): RAJHADI DISTRICT, BANGLADESH. Contact Person: MD. RAIHAN ALI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Telephone: 07223-56029.

Mobile: 008801711821173 Email: thanaswallows@gmail.com, raihanali2002@yahoo.com Web page: http://thanaswallows.org/ Mailing address: VILLAGE-THANAPARA, PO-SARDAH, PS-CHARGHAT, DISTRICTRAJHAHI, BANGLADESH. Number of people on the Board of Directors, separated by sex: TOTAL 9, 7 WOMEN AND 2 MEN Number of employees, separated by sex: 232 WOMEN AND 10 MEN Fair Trade work commencement year.1974

INTRODUCTION Thanapara Swallows began its work in Bangladesh in 1972, helping war-affected women who had lost their husbands during the Liberation War of 1971. Today is an organization that works through the Fair Trade in the production and export of handmade clothing.

THE ORIGINS OF THE INITIATIVE Our Activity started in our locality to help war affected families. We started weaving, sewing, embroidering, and making jute and bamboo products, but we could not continue with all of the activities.

Now we have limited our activities to weaving, sewing and embroidery.

It is our tradition to make our own cloth fabric in Bangladesh. This is a long tradition so we continue with it and make cloth fabric here in our area. We also have a tradition to embroider bed covers and to present them to our daughters when they get married.

We continue with that tradition but with a slightly altered design.

1 Information provided by Raihan Ali, Director Ejecutivo, Thanapara Swallows D.s, Bangladesh.

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OBJECTIVES OF THANAPARA SWALLOWS TSDS applies the target group approach, community approach and networking. The target group approach according to Thanapara Swallows focuses on reaching the poor and marginalized people through the Village Development Program, Handicrafts Program and Primary School Program. A number of unemployed women work through the Handicraft program especially in sewing, tailoring, embroidery, dying, block batik printing and coconut shell button making. The primary school targets children from poor families who cannot afford education in government schools. The village development program targets community members through Micro finance and savings. Social forestry, seed health improvement, non formal primary education, computer education, legal education, land and agriculture development and water and sanitation are other important initiatives of TSDS. The community approach aims at addressing major social issues affecting the community as a whole (i.e.) some problems in the community affect both the rich and the poor. The village development committee (VDC) focuses on raising awareness about the effect of arsenic contaminated water and other hygiene related diseases.

Networking is the other strategy that we employ. Thanapara Swallows has developed links with GOs and NGOs to jointly address various problems in their community; for instance arsenic research and social forestry are done in collaboration with the government, DASCOH on SDSD project, the NGO Forum on Village Sanitation and rain water harvesting project, Land Network on land rights projects, BRAC for the non formal school program and Swallows in Dhaka for the Initiative on Organic Agriculture Development project.

The Handicrafts Program is divided into five sections: Weaving, Sewing, Embroidery, Block Batik and Coconut shell button making. In each of these sections, the villagers make products either by special order or for general sale using local materials. Items produced range from handloom fabrics, to bed covers and wall hangings, from women´s and children´s clothing to various types of bags. These products are sold largely in Japan, Denmark, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands, Finland and Sweden. The organization is a member of the International Federation of Alternative Trade (IFAT), ECOTA Fair Trade Forum, and Bangla Crafts.

1. To create employment opportunities for the poorest women in Thanapara village with the possibility of earning an income, and in this way we also give the women an opportunity to influence their own social situation.

2. To create an economically independent handicraft production.

3. To distribute the profits of the handicraft production among the women in the sector.

4. To give the women the necessary knowledge and assistance to perform as many steps in the handicraft production, administration and marketing activities as possible.

5. To contribute to poverty alleviation by assisting people in the establishment of different income generating projects for self employment, and thus helping them become self-reliant in the long-run.

6. To advance and promote the equal status of women in the family, as well as in the society. Gender issues should be included in all awareness-raising activities and programs, which are undertaken by the Society.

7. To organise different training programmes and increase skills and awareness among the producers through participatory training.

8. To undertake educational programmes for the producersÂ’ children including teaching techniques in agriculture, fish farming and vocational crafts and also to provide books to the deserving students.

9. To establish and support the establishment of any Association, Fund, and Trust deemed to benefit the employees of the Society or the dependants of such persons.

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CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSOCIATION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOWARDS THE INITIATIVE As per agreement with the buyer, the orders have increased each year. Currently Thanapara Swallows does not produce solely for foreign buyers but we also try to catch the local market. Each year, demand of our product is increasing, therefore increasing employment opportunities for the people in Thanapara and nearby villages.

Thanapara Swallows is very conscious about providing better working condition for the producers.

DEVELOPMENT MODEL WHICH UNDERLIES THE INITIATIVE In our initiative we buy raw materials from the local market and we make most of the things in our own place. We buy yarn and dye from local market. We dye yarn in our place then we make cloth fabric by hand loom.

Then we take that handloom fabric to the sewing section and make garments. We then put embroidery on the garments and we export to different countries.

We believe it is good if we can make as many things as possible in our own place.

We also think that it is best to but local, raw materials from local market.

We employ local people to work in the production center so they can own the work and the work place and they can stay in their homes and work in the work place.

GENDER TSDS believes in women empowerment and has since 1973 when the organization has started to work with war affected widows in our area. Currently, we have 242 producers among them 232 are female and 10 are male. In addition, TSDS has some other projects which are funded both domestically and internationally while we have focused mainly on the issue of women empowerment. We also provided different training to inform women about their legal rights.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES ON A LONG TERM SCALE AND LESSONS FOR THE PRESENT Our strength is that we have our own working place. We have a building and the equipment in our place which is owned by our organization. All the people who are working in our area are local people so they own the work and the organization. We also have a co-operation with different organizations which can help with marketing and for fundraising. We have our own raw materials fund to run the business.

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Weakness: Our organization started to help war affected people for that reason we cannot dismiss any producer even if they are not skilled enough to produce the export products. Commerce and relief activity are two separate issues that make business difficult.

THE VISION OF FAIR TRADE WHICH WE PROMOTE We have been working up to now in a North –south vision and we have several discussions about south –south but that has still not developed much. We want to continue North- south for time being.

COMMUNICATION AND RAISING AWARENESS We are members of WFTO, AFTF and the country forum ECOTA. We have very close communication with them through inquiries, reports etc. Whenever, we have received any updated information on fair trade we organize a meeting where we will discuss it with the producers.

We have also sent our staff and producers to take part in different training workshops on fair trade, organized by the AFTF and Ecota. Through this training they can learn, which will help for other producers to know more about fair trade.

We have also celebrated Fair Trade Day each year by organizing a rally, discussion ceremony etc.

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT We are conscious about not harming the environment with any product we produce in our place. In order to reduce electricity we are trying to introduce solar panels and we try not to use any machines which are run by electricity.

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D E C I S I O N M A K I N G , T R A N S PA R E N C Y A N D D E M O C R AT I C O R G A N I Z AT I O N TSDS has general and Executive committees which group beneficiaries become members of through election. We organize 4 executive meetings and one general meeting each year with widespread participation from the root level group members.

From decisions ranging from wages to any development issues in the Handicraft project producers can participate and make comments. We have monthly meetings with producers and we will discuss decisions for further information.

Every year we have audited our financial accounts and it has announced to them in a meeting.

CHILD LABOUR As we are a fair trade organization, we respect the fair trade standard of child labour. We do not have child labor in our organization. But if we do see any violence towards children in our work area we will provide support according to their need. We have domestic violence program for both women and children. We have formed a group in the village to provide lessons about their rights and as per their need we will also provide them legal facilities.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE OF FAIR TRADE Our main product is handloom garments and now the demand for ecological cotton is increasing. In Bangladesh we do not get Ecological Cotton and for that reason we may have to reduce our market.

We think through Fair Trade needy people have the opportunity to work and earn money for their family.

This income not only helps them support their family, it helps empower women and prepares them for decision making in their family. It helps their children get a higher education and increases health consciousness. Overall it helps change their life.