The Great African Scandal

Do you wear, purchase or create in gold?
Do you eat American grown rice?
Do you eat, purchase or create in chocolate?

I did. That is until I watched a film by Dr. Robert Beckford who visited Ghana and meets with three families involved in extracting the natural resources needed for gold, rice and chocolate.

This film is a strong argument for Fair Trade items.

Yes, Fair Trade costs more and with the skyrocketing of food prices globally it is hard to consider going for pricier fair trade chocolate, for instance. If we are to truly calculate costs, however, no price is great enough.

Buying fair trade insures that no child labor is used, that schooling is mandatorily provided and that worker's conditions are monitored and maintained for safety.

According to the Fair Trade Federation:

"Children’s school fees are paid; nutritional needs met; health care costs are covered; the poor, especially women, are empowered; the environmental impact of production, sourcing, and transport is mitigated to the fullest extent possible. Such an impact is created, because fair trade approaches development as a holistic process."

If we are not conscious of the processes and consequences of the goods we purchase we are agents of destruction. With awakened knowledge however, we will be found to be Agents of Rejuvenation.

Watch The Great African Scandal.

Will you alter your purchases after viewing this video?


A Contribution of Danielle Vyas