O.N.E - May 2008

ay M 08 20

World Fair Trade Day 2008: May 10 CHINA: Threads of Yunnan TIMOR-LESTE: Disaster Risk Policy HONG KONG: No Climate Change!

WORLD: Food Prices a Poverty Crisis

It’s time.

This Fair Trade sugar from the Philippines is available in Hong Kong through: www.fair-and-healthy.com Here is a list of Fair Trade outlets in Hong Kong: www.oxfam.org.hk/fairtrade/shoplist

WORLD FAIR TRADE Day

Fair Trade is a fair alternative to con-

Kong began to promote Fair Trade and

ventional trade, which can impoverish

in 2008, we co-founded the non-profit

and exploit farmers and workers. Fair

group, Fair Trade Hong Kong, with elev-

Trade guarantees justice – in wages, in

en other members.

the work environment, in job security,

Oxfam Hong Kong is the first mem-

for an ecologically-sound environment,

ber in Hong Kong of the International

and for both women and men – and no

Fair Trade Association (www.ifat.org),

child labour is permitted.

which is the largest Fair Trade body with

Oxfam Hong Kong launched its

over 300 members in 70 countries. The

Make Trade Fair campaign in 2003,

first IFAT member in Mainland China is

which focused on advocacy for better

featured in the article, “The One and

international trade rules. With the WTO

Only – Threads of Yunnan for a Fair

Ministerial Conference being held in

Life”. Oko-GreeN, a group in Taiwan

Hong Kong in 2005, public awareness

that participated in an Oxfam seminar

grew exponentially, as well as the sup-

in 2007, is now a trader of Fair Trade

port for Fair Trade: an A.C. Nielsen sur-

tea. Over the years, Oxfam has sup-

vey in 2006 – commissioned by Oxfam

ported many projects around the world

Hong Kong – showed that 78% are in-

to give farmers a bigger voice in their

terested to buy Fair Trade and that 96%

livelihood. A recent collaboration is

are willing to pay up to HK$10 more

with Betterday in Vietnam, which pro-

for the ethically-produced and -traded

vides Fair Trade tea, cashews and coffee

products. In the same year, Oxfam Hong

(www.betterday.com.vn).

Fair Trade in Hong Kong, Asia and the world • Over 50 places sell Fair Trade goods in Hong Kong • Asia-wide, there are 38 members of International Fair Trade Association or Fairtrade Labelling Organizations, including 13 certified traders of coffee or tea in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China • Over 1 million farmers and workers in poor countries work under Fair Trade • Fair Trade products come from about 50 countries • Over 3,000 Fair Trade products – rice, chocolate, oil, sugar, wine, cotton, handicrafts, footballs, coffee, tea, seeds, dried fruit, herbs, spices, honey, juice, nuts and more • In Hong Kong, Oxfam has estimated sales from September 2006 to August 2007 to be at least HK$8.4 million • Worldwide, Fair Trade sales in 2006 exceeded HK$44.5 billion.

10 May 2008

WORLD FAIR TRADE Day

This year is the second year in a row

calling on everyone to wear Fair Trade

Hotung Secondary School has al-

that Hong Kong will mark WORLD FAIR

cotton, kick a Fair Trade football, eat

ready decided what to do: 500 students

TRADE DAY, which is always held on

and drink some Fair Trade tea, coffee,

will eat a Fair Trade snack at their week-

the second Saturday of May, and is en-

wine, chocolate, fruit… People can

ly assembly. It is part of a three-day,

dorsed by IFAT.

choose what they want to do, but please

student-led event at the school, which

From Noon to 8pm on the day, 10

do something! The event is called FAIR

is considering keeping Fair Trade on

May, there will be a big FAIR TRADE

TRADE BREAK, and at 3pm on 10 May,

campus for the long term. “The way we

FAIR at the Star Ferry pier on Hong

there will be a little party to toast all the

use our consumer power will affect the

Kong Island, but it really begins the day

FAIR TRADE BREAKS happening around

livelihoods of many people in develop-

before, when Fair Trade Hong Kong is

Hong Kong.

ing countries,” said Leung King-fai, a

Face painting is part of the fun of World Fair Trade Day

Liberal Studies teacher.

It was the students who chose to join FAIR TRADE BREAK. They saw Fair

Kong-wide project in collaboration with

Trade as the best topic for ‘From Service

the Boys’ and Girls’ Club Association,

Learning to Liberal Studies’, a Hong

one of the biggest youth NGOs.

Sign up for FAIR TRADE BREAK now: www.fairtradehk.org

Oxfam's Fair Trade launch at The Oxfam Shop in 2006

In all of mainland China, there is

village. She and her colleagues see the

handicrafts work, and they have used

leader, and also started a small shop af-

nan became the first mainland China

only one member of the International

project as socio-economic outreach to

this income in many ways: for their

ter some basic training in business man-

member of the International Fair Trade

Fair Trade Association. This pioneering

help women reach self-sufficiency, sus-

children’s school fees, to start small-

agement. The village shop sells thread

Association. The greater exposure and

project in China is with impoverished

tainability and equity: it is not a char-

scale businesses, buy household neces-

and cloth for the handicrafts, as well

the more extensive marketing channels

yet expert farmer-artisans in Yunnan, in

ity-minded institution. “The women we

sities, pay for medical expenses, open

as everyday items such as soap, paper

through IFAT have brought Threads of

the southwest corner of the country.

work with learn to help themselves,”

market stalls, raise pigs and other live-

and cigarettes.

Yunnan tangible results. Project partici-

she says. “I want to be a person who

stock, buy furniture, and make home

builds a bridge…”

improvements.

It all began with an earthquake. It ripped through the mountains in 1994,

''I am very busy every day,” she said.

pants now earn five times more than

“I cook and work in the fields every

before: the women’s average income

destroying many villages, so new vil-

The project design is straightfor-

In addition to the income earned by

day, and every morning, I work on my

in 2001 was 189 Yuan, in 2007, it was

lages were rebuilt in safer areas, and

ward. The Threads of Yunnan partici-

the individual women, ten per cent of

handicrafts things. After dinner, I go to

over 1000.

people resettled. When colleagues from

pants – whether they are Han Chinese,

Threads of Yunnan sales are reinvested

night school.” Pingfen also arranges for

In the village that Hogh and her col-

Danyun, a Yunnan-based organisation,

Miao, Lisu, Lahu, Dai or Yi minority

into the community as a whole, and

the collection of handicrafts from other

leagues first visited, almost every single

visited one of these new communities

women – create authentic works of

the women themselves decide how the

nearby villages. She has given a lot of

child now goes to school – before only

high up in the rugged hills, they were

handicrafts art, such as handbags, gift

community uses the funds. One village

time to the project, and what has in-

one in five had the chance. Now the at-

immediately taken by the people’s pov-

cards, pillows and ornaments, while

might choose to begin an irrigation

spired her after a long hard workday is

tendance rate is over 98 per cent.

erty. Too cold and too dry to grow rice,

Danyun helps design, promote and

project, while another might invest in

the fact that her children have been able

Threads of Yunnan continues on,

the preferred food crop, villagers here

market the items internationally, main-

better seeds and fertilisers.

to go to school – something she never

now with almost 250 craftswomen in 12

harvest corn, wheat, buckwheat, po-

ly through global Fair Trade networks

Wang Pingfen is one Threads of

had the chance to do herself. Pingfen’s

rural communities, typically only accessi-

tato, and turnip for a living. Their in-

such as International Fair Trade Associat-

Yunnan participant from the area hit by

spirits are high, she feels supported by

ble by a rugged footpath. The goal is to

come was only about 45 Yuan a month

ion, the church network, online sales,

that massive earthquake back in 1994.

the other project participants, and her

employ about 500 women in 30 villages.

in 1995, from selling any excess crop and

and retail shops in Kumming, which is

A skilled embroiderer, she was in her

husband helps more around the house

They also want to bring the Fair Trade

from occasional manual labour work in

the largest city in Yunnan.

early thirties then, and her two chil-

so that she can have more time for her

management and marketing model to

handicrafts.

tea production, aiming to help about

the city. About 80 per cent of the chil-

The women participant-employees

dren were school-aged. Pingfen joined

dren were out of school – their parents

receive immediate payment for their

the project, became a handicrafts group

It was in 2002 that Threads of Yun-

3,500 other farmers in Yunnan.

could not afford the fees.

The Danyun colleagues, led by a Danish woman named Bitten Hogh, were also taken by the women’s colourful clothing, the strong ethnic motifs used in the garments, and the extraordinary embroidery skills. Hogh, who has both a government and a business background, sensed that their skills could be marketable, and could help bring in some desperately needed income,

THE ONE AND ONLY: Threads of Yunnan for a Fair Life

Threads of Yunnan handicrafts products available at www.globalhandicrafts.org www.hkfairtradepower.com www.yandymays.com.hk

and she promised herself to explore the possibility.

As a short-term help, she made a donation of money as well as hoes, “but

Four of the 250 crafts workers at Threads of Yunnan / Courtesy of Danyun

giving money can’t really improve their lives in the long term,” she says.

Hogh had just founded Danyun, a business consultancy that links China with the international market and, inspired by the craftswomen, Danyun eventually launched the non-profit ‘Threads of Yunnan’ project a few years later, in 1999. The first batch of recruits was five women from that new yet poor

in China

YES TO POLICY

By Maria de Araujo dos Reis

One lunchtime a few weeks ago,

Dr. Aurelio Guterres, helped put the

Aurelio came to our office with a huge

plan together as part of his work with

Before the policy

grin on his face. Usually he is very seri-

this government body which is within

was approved, emergency

ous, so we knew something good had

the Ministry of Social Solidarity.

response was often very slow.

What the new government policy

happened.

in Timor-Leste

The National Disaster Management

“Frank,” he said, “all of our hard

means is that every Ministry will have

Directorate has had very limited re-

work has been worth it : the gov-

a budget for disaster risk reduction and

sources and were not able to send peo-

to be repaired:

ernment just approved the National

emergency response and must now

ple out to more remote areas to assist

it has not ranked as

Disaster Risk Management Policy.”

make its own disaster management

the District Administrators and local

a priority, and the limited government

For Frank Elvey, the manager of

plan – this includes the Ministries of

leaders to carry out necessary work.

resources have gone elsewhere. The

Oxfam Hong Kong’s Archipelagic

Health, Education, and Public Works

People working out in the districts have

residents of the area were provided

Southeast Asia programme, it certain-

and the Police, which all have staff in

had very little knowledge and experi-

with food and tents, but there was no

ly was cause for celebration, a culmi-

the districts. The policy also allows for

ence in disaster risk management work,

evacuation plan for the safe locations

nation of Oxfam’s work of promoting

a budget for more specialised training

and decision-making was usually cen-

for people to go. With the new policy

a policy in Timor-Leste which incorpo-

for government staff members who

tralised in Dili and the money held at

and its plans, this situation should not

rated a community-based approach to

are involved in disaster risk manage-

the national level: it has been hard for

happen again: there will be proper

preventing, preparing for, and respond-

ment work at all levels: this will enable

people outside of Dili to prepare and

plans for each village, with a budget

to promote community-based disaster

ing to disasters.

them to better assist communities in

respond. With the new policy, disaster

and human resources, too. Poor peo-

risk management, we have been visible

their plans for preparing for, mitigating

risk management committees will be

ple’s capacity to prepare, mitigate,

in the mass media: Aurelio appeared on

against, and responding to disasters.

established, from the village level up,

and respond to disasters will increase,

television the other week talking about

so more participation will be possible

the loss of life will be minimised, and

the new government policy.

for everyone.

people’s livelihoods will be better

The approval date was 5 March, 2008, but for over four years, Oxfam

The main road between Dili and the border, after the January 2008 floods / Courtesy of NDMD

What the policy means for the popu-

the National Disaster Management

lation is that in the future, some disas-

Directorate towards the development

ters will be prevented, others will be

If we look at the severe floods of

of the national plan and policy. The

made less severe, and the responses to

January 2008 that battered the district

With Oxfam Hong Kong being one

advisor funded by Oxfam Hong Kong,

emergencies will be faster.

of Liquica, there is a road that has yet

of the first organisations in Timor-Leste

A native of Timor-Leste, Maria de Araujo dos Reis has been working with Oxfam Hong Kong since 2003 and is based in Dili. Oxfam has been assisting various development efforts in Timor-Leste since 1999.

The world is entering a new age of

rity of the poorest countries have be-

stroyed to make way for new bio-fuel

scarcity – of energy, oil, and food. The

come increasingly reliant on imported

plantations or food production dis-

first two dominate the headlines, but

food.

placed by bio-fuel crops.

Madeleine Slavick / Oxfam Hong Kong

Hong Kong had been suppor ting

FOOD PRICES A POVERTY CRISIS

By Duncan Green

protected.

He was smiling then, too.

it is the surge in food prices that has

Most African governments have

The effects are set to get worse: by

the most immediate impact on poor

failed to meet their 2003 promise to

one projection, governments’ thirst for

people.

allocate at least a tenth of their spend-

bio-fuels could mean an extra 600 mil-

After years of food prices remain-

ing to agriculture and they are now

lion people going hungry by the year

ing relatively stable, a ‘perfect storm’ is

reaping the consequences, exacerbat-

2025. However, a growing backlash

driving them through the roof. Boom-

ed as poor farmers need support to

could force a rethink.

ing China and India are eating more

adapt to a changing climate. Countries

Thirdly, the sudden vulnerability of

meat, leading to a rapid increase in de-

such as Malawi and Zambia have shown

hundreds of millions of families cries

mand for cereals for food and livestock.

the way, moving from dependence on

out for a global system of safety nets.

High oil prices are pushing up the cost

food aid to become cereal exporters in

Poor families faced with wildly fluctu-

of fertilisers and fuel. Climate change

recent years.

ating prices need shock absorbers such

is disrupting farming by playing havoc

But how governments achieve this

as national ‘social protection’ schemes

with weather patterns. And rich coun-

also matters. High food and oil prices

such as minimum income guarantees

try governments are promoting land-

help turn agriculture everywhere into

and cash-for-work programmes.

hungry bio-fuels.

a high cost, high return industry. This

At a global level, food import-

The result: wheat went from US$200

requires financial services such as in-

ing countries need financial help and

a tonne in May 2007 to US$450 a tonne

surance and credit, which are not avail-

well-designed provisions for food

in February 2008. Good news for many

able to poor farmers. In Thailand, small

aid for the hungry. The UN’s World

farmers – including some of the world’s

producers are going to the wall because

Food Programme estimates it needs a

poorest people – but bad news for the

banks will not lend them money to man-

US$500m injection just to maintain its

growing numbers of the urban poor.

age between harvests.

operations at their 2007 level.

Egypt, Mexico and Morocco are just

Unfortunately, years of too-fast and

Instead of dumping surplus domes-

three of the middle-income countries

too-deep trade liberalisation, combined

tic production as ‘in kind’ food aid,

recently hit by food riots. Asian coun-

with weak state and donor interven-

donors should provide cash for govern-

tries have started to hoard rice.

tions, mean many poor countries can-

ments and aid agencies to buy locally.

Poor families in sub-Saharan Africa

not cope with the risk of high food

This is usually more efficient and better

and the Indian subcontinent already

prices and nor seize the opportunities

for local agriculture.

spend 80p out of every pound they

they offer.

When vital supplies of food or oil

earn on food. Now they are forced to

Boosting small-scale agriculture is

run short, two things happen – prices

buy less food, or cheaper, less nutritious

one of the best ways to ensure that

rise as do tensions about who gets what.

• Global food prices have risen 35%

• In Bangladesh, about 40% of fam-

alternatives. In Senegal, people are eat-

agriculture reduces poverty. Govern-

Scarcity is at least as much about poli-

from January 2007 to January

ilies at or just below the poverty

ing fewer meals and cutting down on

ments must base their efforts to boost

tics and power as overall supply. Since

2008, and then a further 65% since

line of US$1 a day spend about

protein-rich fish. They are pulling chil-

food production on small farmers, not

the days of Marie Antoinette’s ‘let them

(United Nations)

70% on food (Bangladesh Institute

dren out of school and putting them

the large high tech farms that drive the

eat cake’, food prices have provoked

of Development Studies)

to work so they can eat. Across Africa

poor off the land.

unrest. Unless governments and the in-

• By March 2008, the real price of rice hit a 19-year high, and wheat a 28-year high (The World Bank)

• The price of wheat has recently risen 67% in Afghanistan and the

hard won gains in development are being put at risk.

Secondly, the hyper-expansion of

ternational community act, both these

bio-fuels made from palm oil, sugar or

processes will squeeze out the poor

• Soybean is at a 10-year high in

price of bread 90% in Kabul: 2.5

High food prices have triggered

maize needs to be urgently reassessed.

and politically weak, increasing polar-

Indonesia, where it is a staple food

million people now face a high risk

hunger and starvation in the past and

In the worst cases (such as US maize-

ization and threatening mass hunger

(Oxfam)

of food insecurity (Oxfam)

and social breakdown.

could do so again, with the weakest

based ethanol), the switch to bio-fuels

• 300 million people in India, Pakistan

• 33 countries face the risk of unrest

communities and countries the vic-

has provided a bonanza for agribusi-

and Bangladesh may be at risk of

due to food and energy prices (The

tims. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

ness, but has increased food prices while

starvation with the rise of cereal

World Bank)

Governments and aid donors must act

doing precious little to reduce carbon

now and they need to do three things.

emissions. The original hype that bio-

• Poor people in developing coun-

Firstly, all governments need to in-

fuels provided a solution to climate

tries spend up to 80% of their in-

vest far more in agriculture, both to

change now appears to have been a

come on food (Oxfam)

feed their people and to reduce the

mirage as natural carbon sinks such

drain of food imports. The vast majo-

as rainforests and grasslands are de-

prices (Asian Development Bank)

Duncan Green is Head of Research at Oxfam Great Britain. Oxfam is factoring higher food prices into its work at many different levels, from on-the-ground community projects to advocacy for economic justice. This article was previously published in The Times of India and elsewhere, and Oxfam Hong Kong contributed an additional op-ed to the Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese) in mid-April.

For more information: http://www.oxfam.org/en/news/2008/pr080418_cha nges_needed_to_tackle_global_hunger_and_food_ price_hikes

VOICE

YOUTH can STOP climate POVERTY

HONG KONG CLIMATE Six action groups call for carbon dioxide emissions to be capped in the Air Pollution Control Ordinance: right now, the Hong Kong SAR Government does not regulate CO2 emissions of its two power companies, which account for about 70% of all CO2 emissions. Please add your voice to this campaign (http://write-aletter.greenpeace.org/407) – if action is not taken soon, now, Hong Kong winters may disappear within just 20 years, according to The Hong Kong Observatory.

Oxfam Hong Kong is also calling to stop climate change, to stop the poverty it is bringing around the world: http://www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/

OXFAM HONG KONG WEBSITE www.oxfam.org.hk

Climate change is now happening!

stop climate change.

action. Oxfam Hong Kong has been

OXFAM BOOKS

running projects with youth for over

Oxfam Hong Kong has created

While we sit in air-conditioned rooms

Oxfam calls on youth to join YOUTH

in Hong Kong, poor people in farm-

CAMPAIGN PARTNERS 2008, a project

ing communities around the world are

that combines training, overseas ex-

YCP members must be aged 18 to 25,

Kong, some in Taiwan, some on the

facing more and more extreme natu-

perience, and action. It’s a chance to

and Chinese-speaking. To apply, and for

Mainland, some in Chinese, some in

ral disasters brought on by the fast-

be more aware of poverty and espe-

more information, contact Nicole Lee

English, some bilingual, and some

changing climate – their poverty is

cially about the changing climate’s im-

at 3120 5298 / nicolel@oxfam.org.hk.

mostly with images, which cross all

worsening. Oxfam calls on youth in

pact on poor people. It’s a chance to

Deadline: 27 May, 2008

languages. Through publishing the

Hong Kong to help STOP POVERTY, to

gain skills and insights, and then take

20 years.

more than 30 books, some in Hong

voices of poor people around the world, we want to change the way people think about poverty. We want justice.

To order books: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore/list?lang=iso-8859-1

NewPartnerOrganisations

enrich

OXFAM in the NEWS HONG KONG: A Million People’s Stories – which refers to the one million poor people in Hong Kong, or one out of every seven people – aired for five consecutive nights on prime-

Ever y day, Oxfam Hong Kong works alongside hundreds of groups

time television in April. Oxfam was

around the world, from small NGOs

a consultant to the TV programme.

to international bodies, from gov-

Among the million stories is a single-

ernment departments of developing

parent family living on welfare, a

countries to community groups based

family from Mainland China who relies on low-quality, almost-expired food, and

in Hong Kong. Here are 30 ‘partner

a child who refuses to tell anyone that his family receives government aid. Several

organisations’ that we are support-

celebrities also joined the television programme.

ing for the first time. The location indicates where the project is being

MOKUNG

implemented.

Oxfam Hong Kong publishes this quarterly

INTERNATIONAL

•Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, Bangladesh • Centre for Natural Resources Studies, Bangladesh • Daliyon Ka Dagriya, India • Helal Uddin and Associates, Bangladesh • Help Age International, Mozambique • Institute of Development Affairs, Bangladesh • Intercooperation, Bangladesh • Kadtuntaya Foundation, Philippines • People's Oriented

magazine in Traditional Chinese. Mokung, which means both “no poverty” and “infinity”, highlights a different aspect of development in each issue. The Editor is Tung Tsz-kwan. The March Domestic workers from Indonesia at a financial literacy training session / courtesy of enrich

Programme Implementation, Bangladesh • Reliant Women and Development Organization, Bangladesh

HONG KONG

• enrich • H15 Concerned Group • Hong Kong Community Museum Project • Hong Kong Sustainable Agriculture Association • Tase Hong Kong

CHINA (MAINLAND)

• Ning County Agricultural and Stockbreeding Bureau, Gansu • Research Center for Women’s Development, Nanjing Normal University, Jiangsu • Environmental Association of Green Kun-ming, Yunnan • Maqin County Education Department, Qinghai • School of Educational Science and Management, Yunnan Normal University • Gansu UNESCO Association • Lighthouse Project Volunteer Federation, Zhongshan University, Guangdong • School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai • China Association for Promotion of Compulsory Education • Guangzhou Green Point, Guangdong • Weixin County Poverty Alleviation Office, Yunnan • Cili County Charity Federation, Hunan • Be-In Rural Community Development Consulting Center, Guizhou • Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Guangxi University for Nationalities • Education Weekly, Renmin Zhengxie Bao

2008 edition looks at the poverty news poll in Hong Kong.

To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/public/bookstore

In this edition of O.N.E, we high-

finances they often resort to borrow-

/?lang=big5

light enrich, a new non-profit in Hong

ing money at a high interest rate and

Mokung is online at www.oxfam.org.hk/public/contents/category?cid=1017&lang=big5

Kong which provides practical training

buying on credit; many are perma-

for women, ethnic minorities, migrant

nently in debt. Few have a savings plan

workers and domestic workers.

and too often migrants go home af-

ONE O.N.E – Oxfam News E-magazine – is upload-

“For migrants and low-income

ter years of hard work abroad to find

people in Hong Kong, money is often

that they are no better off than when

their greatest concern,” they write on

they started. enrich’s financial literacy

their website (www.enrichhk.org).

training equips clients with the knowl-

scribe – it is free.

“Living on a low budget in an expen-

edge and motivation to calculate their

To subscribe: www.oxfam.org.hk/one/subscribe.html

sive city driven by consumerism is ex-

financial situation, make and imple-

tremely challenging. There are endless

ment a budget and a savings plan, get

competing demands on these wom-

out of debt and have a greater say in

en’s incomes both to sustain their lives

family decisions. The training on per-

in Hong Kong and to support their ex-

sonal development helps women as-

tended families back home. With little

sert themselves and voice their needs

training or support in managing their

and opinions effectively.”

ed monthly at www.oxfam.org.hk/one.

To receive a copy in your inbox, please sub-

Hong Kong

17th Floor, 28 Marble Road, Northpoint, Hong Kong O. N .E is also on-line:

www.oxfam.org.hk/one// Editor: Madeleine Marie Slavick

emagazine@oxfam.org.hk

COVER: Alfons Poon

category?cid=53988&lang=iso-8859-1.