Think Before You Buy

October is Fair Trade Month

by Hannah Taylor

Suitable for Whole School (Pri)

Aims

To consider fair trade and the actions that we can take to support it.

Preparation and materials

• You will need the PowerPoint slides that accompany this assembly (Think Before you Buy) and the means to display them.
• Have available the YouTube video ‘What is Fairtrade?’ and the means to show it during the assembly. It is 3.56 minutes long and is available at: https://youtu.be/PLKTGWH398Q

Assembly

1. Show Slide 1.
   
   Ask the children to raise their hand if they like chocolate.
   
   Ask the children to name their favourite chocolate bars.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
2. Suggest to the children that when they last went food-shopping with their family, or had a takeaway, they probably didn’t stop to think about who had prepared each ingredient. They were probably more focused on what looked tasty.
   
   However, what if we knew that the farmers who produced the cocoa for our chocolate bars, or the ingredients for our food, were working in dangerous, unfair conditions for very little money? Would we change our minds about what we eat?
   
   
3. In this assembly, we’re going to explore how we can think more carefully about where our everyday products come from. That way, we can try to make sure that we are supporting businesses that look after their workers. We’re going to consider everyday items such as cocoa, bananas and sugar, and also clothes. 
   
   
4. Ask the children whether they have ever heard of fair trade.
   
   Ask if anyone can explain what it is.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
5. Fair trade is a system that aims to ensure that the people who make our food or clothing are paid a fair wage and work in safe, suitable conditions. When shoppers choose to buy products that have the Fairtrade logo, they are choosing good-quality items that have been produced fairly.
   
   
6. When we choose Fairtrade products, we change the world a little bit every day. Buying these products shows businesses and governments that we believe in fair and equal trade.
   
   
7. Flocert is an independent organization that checks whether farmers, workers and companies have met the fair trade standards. If they have, they can display the Fairtrade logo on their packaging.
   
   Point out the Fairtrade logo on Slide 1.
   
   
8. Show Slide 2.
   
   There are many benefits of Fairtrade products, including:
   
   - giving workers a fair wage so that they can support their families
   - making farmers and workers happier
   - raising awareness of unfair trade, which in turn helps us to support more workers and enables us to raise funds
   - tackling climate issues such as plant disease
   - supporting equal opportunities for women farmers
   
   
9. Show the YouTube video ‘What is Fairtrade?’ (3.56 minutes long)
   
   
   
   
10. Show Slide 3.
    
    Suggest to the children that the next time they go shopping with their parents/carers, they should look out for the Fairtrade logo and ask them to choose items that show it. That way, they will know that they are showing support for someone else in the world.

Time for reflection

Let us take this time to be thankful for our food. Let us appreciate the workers who provide the ingredients. Let us think about the products that we buy and how we can support the Fairtrade cause.

Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for our food and drink.
Thank you for the people who work hard so that we can eat.
Help us to be mindful of the needs of others.
Help us to think of others before ourselves.
Please help us to do all that we can to make the world a better place.
Amen.

Song/music

‘It’s a small world’, available at: https://youtu.be/2rTZ9UndNeI (2.11 minutes long)