Forum Fair Trade Indonesia

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Fair Trade Lunch with Teachers of Denpasar

On January 21st, 2012 Forum Fair Trade Indonesia (FFTI) proudly presented an event called A Fair Trade Lunch With Teachers of Denpasar. Actually A Fair Trade Lunch is the routine event of FFTI. Held in FFTI’s Secretariat in Sanur-Denpasar, Bali, the purpose is to introduce the fair trade movement to the public, at that time to the teachers.

About twenty teachers who attended gave positive responses to fair trade. They shared their daily experiences related to trade. The main focus was unhealthy products especially those sold in the school’s canteen and consumed by the children. It’s very dangerous if people sell food just for profit without considering health. It was also interesting when one of the teacher asked about children working to sell the food after school to help their family. Is this child labour? How can fair trade address this issue? On the other side, the teacher also stressed the government’s policy of 100% Loving Local Products. In what area can fair trade take a part?

Agung Alit, Secretary General of FFTI, explained fair trade both as a movement and business side. He also stressed the implementation of 10 Fair Trade principles in business practice. How fair trade provides good payment to producers, what the indicator used to detect child labour, and of course how fair trade products maximize using the local material. Agung also gave the case study of fair trade implementation in Mitra Bali, one of the fair trade organizations in Bali, such as the plantation program, water project, and cooperative, all working with the local community.

The teachers were so excited by the explanation. They asked how to implement fair trade at school, maybe put fair trade values in their school curriculum. For sure it will take time, but it is a good input for FFTI to develop tools for a fair trade campaign in schools.