It is sometimes difficult for us to understand the immense impact that donors to Shared Interest Foundation have on the lives of thousands of individuals and their families across the developing world.

The farmers and craft makers that benefit from our support are, quite simply people like you and me, people who are trying to make a living to provide for their families, to put food on the table, send their children to school and to afford health care. However the difference is that the odds are stacked against them, with unfair trading policies many of the craft makers and farmers that we work with earn less than £1 per day and they are living hand to mouth, unable to plan for the future.

Perhaps, due to these testing times of our own, there is no better time to draw a little closer in our understanding of poverty and the lives of others.

As many of you will know Shared Interest Foundation have launched a £1,000 challenge, where we are encouraging 100 very kind people to help 100 people in the developing world.

By entering the challenge and raising £1,000 by February 2011, you will not only make a massive difference to the lives of others and you will also be entered into a prize draw to win a free Fairtrade holiday to either Peru, Costa Rica or Kenya. Kindly donated by Saddle Skedaddle, this will give you the opportunity to meet the producers and craft makers firsthand.

Meanwhile, each £1,000 raised is a significant donation to the Foundation enabling us to continue the crucial capacity building support we provide to craft maker and farmers across the developing world.

So today, if you do nothing else, please sign up to the £1,000 challenge. For a signup sheet or more information, please email Louise McLaren at louise.mclaren@shared-interest.com or call 0191 233 9112.

Click here to learn how you can invest in fair trade. Click here to donate to the Shared Interest Foundation