Notes:

We’ve spent most of our discussion so far looking at the American side of Fair Trade.  Up until now, most of the bigger names or more interesting stories (in my opinion) have been from America.  Today we’ll get a look at one of the more interesting international fair trade stories.

Like always, feel free to send me any feedback you might have on fair trade 101.  I appreciate everyone who has given feedback so far.  You can comment below, or use our twitter (@guiltfreedrinks) or on facebook (www.facebook.com/guiltfreedrinks).  Also feel free to comment on the discussion question of the day.  A lot of you have been participating at home with those, but you’re more than welcome to interact with me and the other students through the comments section as well.

Helping By Selling:

In the early 1960s the British NGO (Non Governmental Organization) Oxfam began to sell handicrafts at their stores to help raise money.  The first handicrafts came from importers who purchased their goods from “sweat shop” style factories around the world.  Oxfam, through their importers, were able to buy products for extremely low prices and then able to turn around and sell them for a significant profit.

In 1965, Roy Scott challenged Oxfam to do better.  He argued that Oxfam should be an example of what to do, rather than another company exploiting underpaid international labor.  Oxfam listened, and worked with Roy to set up a new program called “Helping By Selling”.

“Helping By Selling” sought to end what Roy Called a “mono culture of export”.  The idea was that many developing countries relied on exporting a single cash crop and were at the whims of large bulk buyers (sometimes the only buyer in an area), natural forces (weather and natural disasters) as well as a handful of other factors outside of their control.  Roy helped those countries shift their production of crops to ones that could be used domestically for food.  He also worked to encourage the export of higher value finished goods over raw materials, to help keep more of the final price of the goods in the hands of the people (cooperative farms and artisans’ societies) in the developing countries.

Takeaway:

 Roy Scott worked with the British NGO Oxfam to help start  “Helping By Selling”.  They worked with cooperative farms and artisans’ societies in the developing world to encourage the sustainable production of goods.  These handicrafts and goods were sold throughout the UK in Oxfam shops and mail-order catalogues.  

Discussion Question:

What similarities and differences are there between “Helping By Selling” and the American Fair Trade programs we looked at earlier (10,000 Villages and SERRV)?

Further Reading:

http://www.onevillage.org/fairtrade-history.htm - History of Roy Scott

http://worldhungerrelief.org/?p=1320