Look for me!

The title of this post refers to the logo pictured above. When you see this logo on a product you will know that it is fair trade certified.

You may also see this logo on Halloween! This Halloween one of my costumes will (hopefully) be this logo/person as I will be going Reverse Trick-or-Treating.

What is reverse trick-or-treating? Well I will tell you. What we're doing (my Engineers Without Borders friends and our other friends we will bring along) is going door to door an distributing fair trade chocolates to homes. This will give them a treat and some knowledge about Fair Trade- no tricks involved.

Here's some info from the website about what's going on:

"This Halloween, young people will be giving treats to the adults!

On Halloween night 2007, members of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) university chapters will be the ones doing the trick-or-treating. They'll be going door-to-door across Ontario introducing people to Fair Trade chocolate. They'll also be handing out:

• 10,000 Cocoa Camino Fair Trade chocolates
• 'Treat Fair, Trade Fair' postcards with info on how to support Fair Trade cocoa.

Fair Trade Certified products are available in stores across Canada. In choosing Fair Trade chocolate at Halloween, and every other day of the year, you are connecting with the farmers who grow and harvest your food. The guaranteed Fair Trade price paid for cocoa helps to provide farmers with a sustainable livelihood and creates hope for a better future for their children. In addition, Fair Trade certification prohibits the use of abusive child labour. Look for the TransFair Canada logo on products when you shop."

Out of the 10,000 that are being distributed in Ontario the Windsor Chapter is planning to distribute 2,000!! Imagine, 2,000 more people who know about fair trade!!! (You'll have to excuse all the exclamation marks but I'm really excited. This activity is combining my two favourite things- EWB and Halloween!!!)

For some more info on Fair Trade check out playyourpart.ca

So here are some of the reasons why I think reverse trick-or-treating is effective:
- it's very not threatening and people will be expecting "traffic" in their neighbourhood that night so they will be open to talking to people
- the info card is something that can be saved and kept as a reminder
- there is a huge audience that will be reached
- this is information that will be new to many people
- buying fair trade is something anyone can do locally to make a difference globally
- it's chocolate

This is an event that is also going on in the US so it's great to see that many, many people are getting involved and spreading the word about fair trade. This is creating awareness, one of the first steps for social change. If anyone really wants to get involved please email uwindsor@ewb.ca and we can figure something out.

If you open your door next Wednesday and find a fair trade logo, a happy farmer (happy because they're getting a living wage that is), a white band, or a fair trade chocolate bar be open to what they're saying and savour the message as much as the chocolate.

Life's not fair but your coffee can be

I originally saw this slogan on a t-shirt promoting fair trade and I instantly loved it. While I am not a coffee drinker, I'm all for fairness.

For years we've all heard about the wonders of free trade. No tariffs, no taxes, just good old fashioned capitalism. Nothing fair about it, just competition and may the best man, er, country, win.

According to good ol' Wikipedia, with free trade "both parties must expect a benefit." This is the part that gets me.

When I hear this I am reminded of a particular fact. In Ghana it is cheaper to buy imported US rice than it is to buy local Ghanaian rice. What? This seems nonsensical to me. When you factor in shipping costs and materials and labour and everything why on earth is the rice that comes from thousands of miles away cheaper than the rice that comes from a few kilometers away?

The answer: subsidies.

A subsidy is when a government will pay farmers to grow a product. They can therefore afford to sell their product at a lower cost. If a company in a developing country wants to compete with companies in developing countries they will have to sell (and export) their product at very, very low costs. Sometimes there isn't enough income incurred to cover basic expenses. So here's where fair trade comes in...

According to the transfair website:

Fair Trade is an international system of doing business based on dialogue, transparency and respect. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions for producers and workers in developing countries. Behind the principles and goals of Fair Trade is a rigorous international system of monitoring, auditing and certification.

The international Fair Trade system is structured to produce the following outcomes for farmers and workers in developing countries:

• Fair compensation for their products and labour
• Sustainable environmental practices
• Improved social services
• Investment in local economic infrastructure

The benefits are pretty great:

Small-scale Farmers & Workers

Fair Trade Certified products have helped build economic independence and empowerment for certified farmer cooperatives and their members, bringing them economic stability and a higher standard of living. Beyond being paid a fair price for their produce, the Fair Trade Certified premiums help farmers build necessary social infrastructure of which the following are but some of the examples:

• Improved access to low or no-interest loans
• Technical assistance for building infrastructure to improve production
• Communications systems, and collectively-owned transport and processing equipment
• Better health care and education
• Technical training and skill diversification for cooperative members and their families

What's not to love about fair trade?

Well, for one thing, some people would say the price. Fair trade products cost more. However, the difference is so minimal it is not a big deal to the consumer.

As I run to the kitchen to check the price tag on the bottom of my fair trade green tea packaging I note the price is $3.50 for 25 tea bags a box. Not bad. I believe a regular package of non fair trade tea is about three dollars. Is it worth the extra fifty cents? Definitely. That extra fifty cents means that a farmer can now afford to send his daughter to school and that warms me more than the tea.

With something like fair trade it is a totally tangible action for Canadians. If you're thinking to yourself "but I don't know where to get fair trade on my campus and in my community" fret not! I am happy to say that at the University of Windsor, all non-branded coffee outlets (basically everywhere but Timmy's) is fair trade! It's only a few pennies more, you'll be making a difference, and you probably wont have to wait in line as long.

There is also a store called Ten Thousand Villages that sells exclusively fair trade goods. You can get fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate and jewellery, among other things. Some fair trade products are even available at major retailers like Zhers. Fair trade is becoming more accessible to average consumers.

So next time you're in the student centre at U of Windsor stop by the Marketplace and grab some fair trade coffee or tea. It tastes just as good, maybe even better. And you'll feel better knowing you made a purchase that is having positive impact. Ask for fair trade.

One thing that I think of when I think about fair trade is a scene from the movie Black Gold. In the film a coffee grower from Ethiopia is searching for fair trade deals for his products. I'll never forget an interview with some farmers where they talk about how they are now growing chat, a drug, instead of coffee because it brings in more money. The man asks the farmers, 'what would you do if you had more money?' And the answer is almost unanimously 'we would send our children to school.'

The money is in our hands and so is the power. Be an ethical consumer. Create change. Have a positive impact.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead

Imagined Communities and Real Divisions

Thursday, October 18th I was luck enough to hear Madame Adrienne Clarkson, Canada's past Governor General, speak at the University of Windsor. The talk sold out quickly a few weeks ago but I was there as "CJAM Radio Staff" so my ticket was free! That was pretty nice. The Freed Orman Centre, where the talk was held, was packed with chairs and anxious listeners of all ages and backgrounds.

Clarkson was a great speaker and spoke primarily about immigration in Canada. Having been an immigrant herself she was able to speak about the issue, and Canadian citizenship, with much knowledge. In this post I would like to highlight some quotes in particular that struck me and how they can be applied to foreign assistance. I'm sure the quotes aren't perfectly accurate, but they're pretty close. This is a blog about reflection, an important step before action.


"No matter how deprived and debilitating they may be [immigrants], they have something to offer. It is a two way street"
What do we offer to people in other countries?
If we don't have a sense of community within Canada how is it possible that we have a sense of community with people in other countries? We need something that will give Canadians a connection to people in the developing world. These need to be more than the depressing images we see on TV. They need to be stories of hope and positive action. They need to be relate-able and possible for the ordinary Canadian.

As an aside...One of the things I really like about being a part of Engineers Without Borders is the concept of Dorothy. Dorothy allows you to really personalize your involvement with development work and a way to think of who you are benefiting with all the actions you take.
"Dorothy is the mother pounding fufu in Cameroon. She is selling oranges on the street of Accra. She is tending to her kids in Tanzania.

Dorothy is no single person; she is the archetype for whom EWB does all our work. For anything we do, for anything we wish to achieve, we think of the impact and benefit it would have for Dorothy. She keeps us from getting hung up on what we want to do, and helps us think about what we want to achieve. She is the difference between digging a well and improving the health of a village; between building a school and fulfilling children’s right to education."

"The heart of darkness in men is never changing"
We need Canadian youth to grow up with positive feelings towards all people. We need socially and globally aware youth.


"Speaking against it [homelessness in Canada] is not a political stance, it is a human stance"
We need to speak out against the injustices all around the world. This is not charity, it is social justice. We can, and will, do something. We do not need political alliance but we do need solidarity. Many people have voices but they will be louder as one.

"I looked at that guy and thought, 'that's me'"
We are connected as human beings. We are all the same. We all search happiness, food, water, shelter, love and fulfillment. Why does it matter where we are geographically? How do we relate to people we don't actually know? Why does TV ruin the potential for identity by focusing on solely negative experiences? How do we make this better?

"There is no one more human than another" (quoting Romeo Dallaire)
Why are some people so apathetic?


"Recognize unjust actions and me willing to move forward"
We should apply this to every aspect of life.


I guess one of the big things I'm pondering in this blog, and at many, many other times, is how do we get people to care? Facts don't seem to work. A personal connection is needed. We need to learn about people's lives. Not just the bad elements, not just the good elements, but all of it.

Often blogs are thought of to unite people and show different realities. My friend Kyle spent 3.5 months in Ghana in the summer of 06 and recorded his experiences in a blog, http://ghanaiankyle.blogspot.com. Though it is now inactive I encourage you to check it out to gain more of a personal connection. One post in particular is effective.

Expand your learning.

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
- Carl Jung

What do you stand for?

Last Wednesday was undoubtedly my busiest day in a long time. With a month of preparation, dozens of meetings, collaboration with tons of other clubs on campus, hours of decoration and many volunteers later...we successfully created awareness about extreme poverty!!

Oct 17th was a very important day in terms of anti-poverty activism. October 17th is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

If you go to the University of Windsor you probably noticed that almost all of the campus was decorated in white. You may have noticed lots of people were dressed in white too. (In the picture to the left are (left to right) Robin, Eric, myself, and Holly. Dressed in white and ready to fight poverty.)

So why all the white?

White shows the commitment to abolishing poverty. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts the White Band is a popular white symbol to show people who are fighting against poverty.

The theme for the day at U Windsor (and hundred of locations worldwide) was STAND UP + SPEAK OUT. People stood up against poverty, gender inequality, lack of generic pharmaceuticals, hunger, and preventable illness. They spoke out to their government to get them to take action and keep the promises they made to alleviate poverty. Make our governments people of actions and not words!

The website gives the following reasons to Stand Up:

"In 2000, leaders of 189 countries signed up to the Millennium Development Goals, a global plan to halve poverty by 2015. 50,000 people die as a result of extreme poverty and the gap between the rich and poor is getting wider. We need you to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT to make governments honour their promises.

The promise to end poverty inequality and hunger. The promise to stop children dying from preventable diseases. The promise to ensure basic education for all children, particularly girls. The promise to stop women dying during pregnancy and childbirth. The promise to provide water and sanitation and to protect the environment.

And we need you to STAND UP and SPEAK OUT to make governments honour their commitments on more and better aid, debt cancellation, trade justice, gender equality and public accountability. It will not happen without all of us taking a stand."

Activities on campus included standing for one minute to show a commitment to stand up against poverty while a pledge was read aloud. It is a symbolic action to represent the larger actions we can take as a community to work together towards the social injustice of poverty. 2500 people on the Windsor campus stood up against poverty. There were also booths in the CAW quad to let people know what University based organisations/clubs are doing and how they can help.

OPIRG had a display on fair trade. Oxfam focused on clean water. EWB (Engineers Without Borders) focused on appropriate access to technology and how it can alleviate poverty and provide opportunity.

One of the goals of Stand up + Speak Out was to break last years record of 23.5 million people who stood for one minute.

This year over 38.8 million people, in 110 countries have broken the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to “STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY” in 24 hours.

That's pretty exciting.

A big question is...how do we take further actions to stand up against poverty year long? It's great for people to get together on one day but it's even more important we continue the trend.

Buy fair trade, write to your Member of Parliament or a member in the Cabinet letting them know you want them to take pro-poor actions, be informed on what's going on in the world, don't waste food or water, donate your time (or money) to an organisation and help out with their events.

Stand up for equality, justice, hope, and opportunity- for everyone- everyday and in what you do. You don't have to save the world, but there are small, very tangible, actions we can take at home. Ignorance is not an excuse.

"Activism is my rent for living on this planet"
- Alice Walker

The minority that isn't a minority

Even now, in the year 2007, I am encountered with sexism and assumptions that I am not adequate because I am a woman.

Work is a common location for said encounters. As a cashier at a home improvement store I am often passed over in favour of the male associate standing next to me. It doesn't matter if they have an "I'm in training badge" and I have a "1 year" badge. They will still ask the man standing next to me where the nails/air filters/door knobs are (aisles 12, 27 and 10 thank you very much). At my old job, a grocery store, and I was stocking the shelves I would be asked, "why aren't you up front with all the other girls" and some customers offered the help me carry the oh-so-heavy crates of milk I was lifting.

Gender inequality is still present in the Western world in spite of advancements over the past decades. Gender inequality means that women will be more susceptible to living in poverty because they will not be paid as much and be passed over for jobs in favour for men.

According to Women Against Poverty Collective (a group of women and trans people who are working together to advocate for safe, affordable and accessible housing for women experiencing violence) the following are stats about Canadian women:

- 1 in 7 women in Canada lives in poverty. They are most likely to be immigrants, Aboriginals, disabled, young mothers or elderly.

- Poverty makes it hard for women to leave an abusive relationship when they depend economically on their partner.

- 1/3 of women go back into abusive relationships because welfare does not give them enough money to survive.

WAPC has a blog that outlines their actions in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It serves mostly to update people on the groups activities and successes. It is a fairly good blog in terms of informing but could be more engaging with personal stories.

Much has been done to advance the status of women. Policies such as Affirmative Action have been implemented in hopes of hiring more women (and other minorities), improving wages and to encourage public institutions to be more representative of the population. Affirmative Action comes with it's own problems though. Are people being hired because they're a minority? Are they going to be given special attention? Will they be seen as just as competent as everyone else? It can make you wonder...

Support the equal status of women. Celebrate International Women's Day March 8th. Treat everyone equally. Volunteer at a women's shelter. Learn about amazing women. Make sure that women, a sex that is not a minority yet is marginalized, are not treated unequally.

“It is hardly surprising that women concentrate on the way they look instead of what was in their minds since not much has been put in their minds to begin with”
-Mary Wollstonecraft

Sometimes you'll hear about how women have achieved equal status to men. Not only is this not true in the Western world, but is it an outright lie in the developing world.

The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (or MDGs as I will refer to them) were created in 2000 to improve the quality of life for people in developing countries and help them escape poverty. Goal number 3 is "Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women."


One way the UN is trying to achieve this goal is by helping out with UNIFEM more. UNIFEM is the women's fund at the UN. It was established in 1976, and it provides financial and technical assistance to innovative approaches aimed at fostering women's empowerment and gender equality.

UNIFEM focuses on four goals

• Reducing women's poverty and exclusion;
• Ending violence against women;
• Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls;
• Supporting women's leadership in governance and post-conflict reconstruction.

More women and children are living in poverty than men. For this reason there is an increased focus for development organisations to work with women on their projects, such as with this story. Women are also more likely to spend any extra income on their family or health care instead of leisurely activities.

Why is the gender inequality worse in the developing world?
Because men are the primary bread winners. Because there are more domestic tasks at home (imagine life without a washing machine or a dishwasher...now imagine life without plumbing) that women and children must perform. Because school fees are so expensive and boys are still believed to be smarter. Because girls are too valuable at home.
Because because because because...I could go on.

Out of all the children in the world, more than 100 million of them are not in school. Also, 46% of girls in the world's poorest countries have no access to primary education at all because they're so valuable at home.

According to Oxfam, "Young people who have completed primary education are less than half as likely to contract HIV as those missing an education. Universal primary education would prevent 700,000 cases of HIV each year - about 30% all new infections in this age group."

That's incredible!

Think of the impact of more schools and education. More HIV/AIDS knowledge and fewer deaths. More literacy and better jobs. Gender equality. Increased health.

While these issues may seem a little far from home there's still plenty we can do here. Promote gender equality (don't let feminism be a bad thing), donate books to charities- especially ones that will be sent overseas, donate school supplies to charities that will put them to use overseas. Learn about the plight of women globally.

A world of equality seems like a difficult thing. Tolerance seems impossible at times when we are surrounded with stories of racism, sexist, bigotry and homophobia. We can stake small steps at home and within our lives to ensure that women and other marginalized groups are treated with the same respect as other individuals.

"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race."
—Susan B. Anthony

Africa: Hot Continent. Hot Clothes. Hot Issues.

The (RED) manifesto is pretty cut and dry.

And the way the company works is easy to understand.



On the product website the progression goes from one smart shopper buying an iPod and consequently "[they] have a new iPod and helped save a person's life" because ten dollars of their purchase went to the Global Fund.

"$30.7 million has flowed directly to Global Fund financed grants in Ghana, Rwanda and Swaziland. In these countries this money is helping to finance comprehensive national HIV/AIDS programs led by the ministries of health, to provide antiretroviral treatment for children and adults, to assist in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, as well as essential counseling and testing activities to reduce the overall risk of HIV transmission."

As I sit and read about Sipho in the BLOG(RED) I am moved by the story of a young child with AIDS. However, I cannot help but notice that the piece is littered with promotion of Product (RED). It is not a blog about awareness of ARVs and AIDS in general, it is about how RED's ARVs are making a difference. But I guess in the manifesto they really weren't kidding when they said "it [(RED)] is a business model."

Not to paint myself as a callous, bitter individual or anything. I was moved by the post of an emaciated boy who's life will undoubtedly be cut short and is obviously of a low quality because of AIDS. The blog does a good job of showing his helplessness: "his face was thin but creaseless, except for where his heavy lower eyelids rested against his cheekbones. He did not wear a smile and there was little evidence that he ever had, so creaseless was his face.

His expression was that of one who was accustomed to expecting the worst."

The blog also works to create a sense of obligation in the writer, "Sipho’s heavy-eyed gaze persisted. Looking up from my chart review, I suddenly realized that, as the pediatrician in the room, it was my turn to do something."

Those words, it was my turn to do something are undoubtedly moving, a call to action. However, they are preceded by as the pediatrician in the room which shows the professional obligation to the story. Product (RED) is not about a professional obligation, it is about a human obligation and actions we can take as ordinary Joe's in the Western World.

My beef with Product (RED) is it doesn't really change the way we act in a root causes sort of way. If we really wanted to change the way we act we would be buying fairly traded clothes that are not manufactured in a sweat shop. Or we would outright give money to charities without expecting anything in return. Or we would give our time to these causes and advocate for social justice.

(RED) shows that we are nothing but consumers. Is it true? Probably. Does it have to be? Definitely not.

"You, the consumer, can take your purchase to the power of (RED) simply by upgrading your choice. Thus the proposition: (YOU)RED. Be embraced, take your own fine self to the power of (RED). What better way to become a good-looking samaritan?!"

The above quote from the website does not emphasize being a Samaritan. It's just making a smart, and different, choice. We can just be Samaritans in and of themselves; being a Samaritan is now a by product of consumerism. We do not go into the Mac Store or the GAP with the intention of eliminating AIDS. We go in there because we want to look trendy. Helping to eliminate AIDS is a nice little bonus; it's like getting a free gift or a coupon for your next purchase. Only the free gift is an improved image. Not only are you trendy but you're a philanthropist. Wow! That's hot.

What happened to altruism? And doing something good because it was the right thing to do? Why must we always get something out of the deal? Why can't we do something good for the sake of doing good?

If you're going to buy Product(RED) anything, fine. Think of the motivation for your actions though. Why not just outright donate ten dollars to an AIDS org? Why not volunteer 10 hours with your local AIDS org and create awareness?

Wear your heart on your sleeve, not as a logo on your chest.

The Latest Celebrity Trend

Increasingly in the media you hear about the new celebrity interest: Africa.

Angelina Jolie gives birth to a baby in Namibia and Madonna adopts a baby from Malawi and the rest of the world is left wondering where these previously unheard of countries are located.

Bono is undoubtedly one off the biggest anti-poverty activist with his campaign ONE.

"ONE is Americans of all beliefs and every walk of life - united as ONE - to help make poverty history... As ONE, we are raising public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight such problems in the world's poorest countries. As ONE, we are asking our leaders to do more to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. ONE believes that allocating more of the U.S. budget toward providing basic needs like health, education, clean water and food would transform the futures and hopes of an entire generation in the world's poorest countries."

A way to show your support for ONE is by wearing a WhiteBand

"Wear the white band and show your support for the ONE Campaign and the fight against global AIDS and poverty. Worn by teachers, doctors, and homemakers. You've seen them in the pages of People and US Weekly on your favorite stars, get your band now! The white bands are part of a global effort to make poverty history."

I find it interesting that they mention that we've "seen them in the pages of People and US weekly on your favorite stars." They are using celebrities as the means to persuade. Are we asking the government to contribute more to pro-poor actions or are we doing it because Penelope is too?



Celebrities are used to endorse countless products. Hair products, make-up, clothing, shoes, and food are constantly being thrown at us so that we may better emulate a celebrity. Is poverty in Africa another fad that's being marketed to the celeb hungry public, or are these people really hoping for a change?

I think it's unfortunate that we need celebrities to bring light to the issue.

Yet, at the same time I'm torn. If celebrities are bringing light to the issue is it really such a bad thing? Awareness is awareness. In spite of this thought a quote from Marchall McLuhen resounds in my head, "the medium is the message." It really isn't poverty and activism that's resounding in consumers' heads; what's resounding is Joe Celebrity is doing this and so should I because I want to feel connected to Joe Celebrity.

I wear a white band. Mine is not from the ONE campaign, but rather from the Canadian version: Make Poverty History. Why do I wear the white band?

Is it because I think MPH has been a particularly effective organisation? No, not really. Is it because one of my favourite bands, the Joel Plaskett Emergency, supports the campaign? No.

So why does a piece of white rubber circle my wrist all day?

I wear the band to remind myself why I do what I do. I see it as a motivation to my actions. Why do I volunteer for ~20 hours a week for Engineers Without Borders? Because my actions can make a difference.
Why do I try to get 100+ signatures for a petition? Because my 100+ signatures and the 100+ signatures of 5 of my friends will show a local Member of Parliament that we want something to be done about eliminating poverty.

Why do I wear the white band? Because I know that I am not alone in trying to make a difference. Whether they wear a white band or not, it is a reminder of the solidarity I have with other people who are making positive change and providing opportunities to right the wrongs of poverty and other social injustices.

If you're going to do something make sure it's because you believe in it. Not because someone (famous or not) told you to act, but because you truly want to. I feel like I'm becoming too preachy but think about where your motivations come from. If you really want to help a little girl go to school, learn to read, and gain access to clean water do it because you think that she, as a human being, should not be denied these rights. Don't jump on the celebrity bandwagon.