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.