The Shared Earth team arrived safely in India after a delayed journey. With a rest day planned for Sunday, Monday began with a planned trip to one of Shared Earth’s main suppliers, TARA Projects.

TARA projects began in the 60’s and works closely with the Fair Trade Forum to offer a sustainable form of economic development throughout India .Established by Professor Sharma, they have helped to form many support groups and a world wide infrastructure to supply fairly traded products to companies like Shared Earth. “There is big scope for Fair Trade to make a difference for the little person,” says Prof. Sharma. “There are over 100,000 families all over India that need our help and it is my wish to cover all of India where so many people lack so many basic things in life. They are very insecure,” he adds.

Later he shows us an undercover video made to expose the continued use of child labour. The images are moving and horrific with dark, crowded rooms filled with children as young as 9 working for over 12 hours a day to make jewellery in 45 degrees heat. Most of these children also sleep and cook in these rooms as they have been abandoned by families that can no longer care for them.

Shared Earth’s PR agent interviewed 24 year old Anwar Husain former child worker that now works with TARA Projects. He was 12 years old when he started his working life. “It happened because I had 6 sisters and 6 brothers and our family was in a state of economic helplessness,” explains Anwar. “It was a family decision for me to go and find work as my parents couldn’t afford to feed us all. I was a burden.” Anwar found work in a Jewellery workshop in Delhi where he earned 700 Rupees per month which is around 9 pounds. However after his employers made deductions for food he was left with just 400 Rupees (5 pounds) per month. Needless to say he couldn’t afford to sustain himself let alone send money back to help his family. Anwar now works 8 hours a day with TARA Projects, earns decent money and is able to help his family. He has plans to marry and have 2 children. “I want 2 children only,” he says “I hope for them to be educated and to save money in the bank,” he adds.

The reason for this unfair trade is that many parts of the commercial sector are so competitive that the price is driven down to an extreme level. With contractors outsourcing production to other contractors the accountability of the supply chain can not be accurately managed or controlled. Therefore many big national and international companies that may have a policy of purchasing from fairly traded goods can not be 100% sure that the products they receive originate from a fair source.

Organisations like TARA Projects and the Fair Trade forum are working to expose the unfair trade organisations to create opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers and workers.

For full information on TARA Projects, the 3 interviews or to view a copy of the child labour film please contact Shared Earth.

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