The Shared Earth team was given a warm welcome on Monday afternoon when they paid a visit to the Indira Camp School based in one of Delhi’s slums. The team was greeted with garlands made by the children, dancing, singing and a short play about their understanding of Fair Trade.

Backed by TARA Projects, the school educates the children daily in Mathematics, English and an array of other subjects to give them a solid base from which many will be able to go on to college. The school offers education and hope to the 500 families that have occupied this particular area for many years. The community tries to live by the 9 Fair Trade standards so that in the long term they will have the skills, knowledge and tools to sustain themselves and not fall prey to the unfair contractors and employers.
1. Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers
2. Transparency and accountability
3. capacity building
4. promoting Fair Trade
5. Gender equity
6. Ideal working conditions
7. Payment of fair wages
8. Protection of the environment
9. Protection of child’s rights

By setting these standards and communicating them to as many people as possible throughout India, the circle of unfair trade will eventually be broken down to the point where it can no longer effectively function. Many children and adults end up in the hands of unfair trade because they did not have the knowledge that there was a better way. They simply accepted the situation.

After the school visit, one mother named Jagwadi proudly led us through the tiny slum streets to her home which consisted of one small room where she slept with her 2 youngest daughters aged 13 and 15 and her husband. Her oldest daughter, aged 17 is now at college studying to become a teacher. Her youngest daughters also hope to go on to college when they are old enough.

Images of the slum, the school visit and the children are available on request to Shared Earth.

Bookmark It