Do you support factories or fair-trade?
A major human rights challenge facing us today is the exploitation of women and children employed in factories. Women and children are working long days for meager pay, in harsh conditions and still cannot support their families.
We have the opportunity to change all that. As women, we control the market. According to Diversity Best Practices and Business Women’s Network, women make 83% of all consumer purchases. So we have a choice to make. Do we support factories or fair-trade?
Perhaps you are looking for an inexpensive necklace to go with a new outfit. You could choose to head over to Walmart, or Ardene, but most likely what you find will come from a factory where the person who made it is paid pennies, while the corporation reaps the benefits.
For a similar price (or less!) you can find a unique piece to compliment your outfit by purchasing fair-trade. This way, you can be sure the artisan is benefiting from the sale and you will be creating opportunities for people to get ahead in life.
At In Her Hands we focus on women because we are committed to changing the world. Studies find that women spend far more on education, community development, and healthcare for their families. By putting money into women’s hands we are accelerating the process of change.
Make a decision today to be conscious of your buying habits. It may be a challenge to buy only fair-trade, but together we can make a conscious effort to change our buying habits and the habits of those around us one step at a time. The next time you need to make a purchase ask yourself, can I buy this fair-trade? If so, head to your nearest fair-trade store, purchase online, or better yet, host a fair-trade home party in your home and get your friends buying fair-trade as well.