Archive for January, 2009
Life is like a Pack of Cards
As I set foot inside Cards of Africa, I am immersed into a bustling environment of people sitting around wooden tables, gluing, cutting, bending wire and laughing as they hand-make each and every card.
The results are beautiful but as I sat and chatted with a group of ladies on one table I soon realised that [...]
Rwandan Producer Support Launch!
I barely slept last night as the anticipation of the big day grew closer. Today is the official launch of Shared Interest Foundation 3 year project in Rwanda, we have over 50 participants from all over the country, representing 30 businesses, as well as our 19 trainers, 2 Rwandan officials oh and did I forget [...]
Social Business & Fair Trade Meetup, 5 March, London
Many people are interested in starting a Fair Trade business, supporting them or campaigning to persuade people to buy from them. They are one of the fastest growing social businesses in the world and play an ever increasingly important role.
At this meeting we are going to look at Fair Trade as a social business and [...]
Playing Enterprising Games in the South East
This week I went along to The Change Game in London. Such a title suggests we would emerge from the event in some new form – like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. In reality the event was a response to a recent article published in the Financial Times that Social Enterprise was ‘fluffy’. As [...]
Ethics of Coffee (Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics Lecture)
I came across a nice blogpost fro the Ask for Fairtrade blog that had a podcast posted from a 30 minute lecture at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics talking about the ethics of coffee. Definitely worth a listen.
By chance I just came across a fantastic 30 minute lecture recording from a seminar at [...]
Two great videos presenting solutions to Africa’s poverty problem
I’ve just recently watched two incredible videos presenting ‘trade not aid’ solutions to Africa’s poverty problem. What struck me is how well fair trade and Shared Interest fit into the solution presented by both speakers.
In this provocative talk, journalist Andrew Mwenda asks us to reframe the “African question” — to look beyond the media’s stories [...]
Fate or Fortune. What’s the Alternative?
My uncle recently passed away at only 50 years old as a result of an accident. One that had his company employed the correct health and safety procedures, could have been avoided. I cannot even begin to put into words the shock, anger and pain that this has caused my entire family. To lose someone [...]
Learn while you go for the Burn!
Unfortunately, just because I am geographically nearer Kilimanjaro does not equate to physically being nearer my training goal!
So yesterday I signed myself up for my very first African fitness class!
I turned up a little nervous, not really knowing what to expect.
Can I point out that I was first to arrive? (I forgot that we were [...]
Rwanda: A Journey from Research to Reality
After well over a year of research, planning, developing and securing funding for the Rwandan Producer Support Project, here I am in Kigali seeing it in action.
I have been to Rwanda four times now and never cease to be amazed by the kindness of Rwandans, the cleanliness of the country and the warmth of the [...]
Lenzie resident with an Interest in fair trade
Shared Interest got some great press recently as a result of the efforts of Shared Interest ambassador Tracy Mitchell. Below is a snippet with a link to the full article. Well done Tracy!
Lenzie resident Tracy Mitchell is aiming to boost fair trade in Africa and Latin America through her work with Shared Interest, the world’s [...]