The following is from Andrea Wilkinson’s travel blog.

As I drive for two hours high up into the mountains to visit a remote producer group called Tinsaba, I already know that it’s going to be a great day.

Through the early morning mist, children sing and wave on their way to collect water and cows clearly rule the road! I am forced to stop on several occasions to avoid them.

I turn off onto a dirt track to find the group (praying that this is the right dirt track. There are many and no sign posts.) I drive for about 30 minutes deep into the bush only to discover that it clearly isn’t. With thick bush-land at either side of me, I can’t turn so all I can do is reverse!

Not a 4×4 by any means, my affectionately named ‘Harris’ the Yaris, revved up but got stuck down a pot hole.

I finally made it out to glimpse a bush baby darting past. Quite a journey! Making my way into the right part of the national park, I heard the female staff before I saw them.

I spent the day with this inspirational group of ladies who sang merrily while they worked, learning about how they make the intricate baskets, jewellery and handcrafted items that signify their culture and traditions.

There are mothers and daughters at the workshop, passing skills down through generations. They tell of their daily struggles and the impact that Tinsaba has.

Tinsaba has not only created employment for these ladies. Their standing in society has risen. With higher levels of respect, violence towards women in the area has decreased. Many can now afford to send their children to primary school.

The manager, Sheila is way more than a boss; she’s a mentor, an advisor and one hell of a woman.
She tells me about the struggles the business faces: “We lost one of our ladies in a car accident a few weeks ago and have lost five others to AIDS this year alone. You always wonder who is next.

“These women are my life, my soul and my friends. We have worked together to build this business for more than 20 years so to lose even one is heart breaking, but to lose so many on a regular basis….well there are not words to describe it.”

I think that’s what touches me most about fair trade businesses: they care. They empower their staff to develop and grow and break out of the destructive poverty cycle.

And that’s why they continue, even with the heartache.

And with that, I would like to leave you with this quote: “This is a new day. God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good, but what I do today is important because, for it, I am exchanging a day of my life.”

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