Is It Fair?

October is Fair Trade Month

by Hannah Taylor (revised)

Suitable for Whole School (Sec)

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 (Is it Fair?) 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 available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRi2jLbXaRU
  
• More information about Fairtrade is available at: https://www.fairtrade.org.uk/

Assembly

1. Show Slide 1.
   
   Ask the students to raise their hand if they like chocolate.
   
   Ask the students to name their favourite chocolate bars.
   
   Listen to a range of responses.
   
   
2. Point out that when we last went food-shopping or had a takeaway, we probably didn’t stop to think about who had prepared each ingredient in the food. We were probably more focused on the best deals or 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. This assembly aims to help us to 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 students whether they have 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 certain standards are met in the production and supply of a product or ingredient. For farmers and workers, fair trade means supporting workers’ rights, safer working conditions and fairer pay. For shoppers, it means receiving good-quality, ethically sourced products.
   
   
6. When we choose Fairtrade products, we change the world a little bit every day. By choosing better products when we shop, we are showing 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. 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?’ 
   
   
   
   
10. Show Slide 2.
    
    Encourage the students to think about fair trade the next time they go shopping. Encourage them to look out for the Fairtrade logo so that they can show support for someone else in the world.

Time for reflection

Let us take time to be thankful for our food, drink and clothes.

Let us take time to consider those who work hard to provide us with everything that we have.

Let us pause to decide that in future, we will consider the workers who provide our ingredients. Let us think about the products that we buy and how we as individuals 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.