Watching the River Flow

• Feb 20, 2008 Posted by Carrie Hawthorne

  I sit here reflecting on my trip in Peru as it comes to an end and it seems as though I have been here much longer than a month. I am sitting in the dark (the electricity went out) which seems appropriate as I’m feeling in a pensive mood.

   

  The initial thought that comes to my mind is that I am so glad that I work for an organization that has such a close relationship with its artisans. Fair Trade is becoming a more common term and perhaps these days can even be found in the dictionary. But especially for crafts, it still remains a variable concept that can be quite relative for each situation/country/craft. Third party verification exists but unfortunately due to its small scope (mainly because of limited budgets and size) can only validate and support producer organizations to a certain extent. Therefore, the consumer really must rely on the word of the intermediaries who interact with the producers to know that the product they are purchasing lives up to the convictions of Fair Trade.

   

  The other day I was listening to “Watching the River Flow” by Bob Dylan while sitting on the rather nightmarish 5 hour bus ride from Huancavelica to Huancayo (4 of us in 2 seats, vomiting girl hovering over my seat – who seemed to think that the smell of vix vapor rub would make her nausea go away, food spilled on my head, 2 annoying men with very loud voices selling medicine that cures everything from athlete’s foot to depression) and actually feeling happy…that I was no longer in the Peace Corps and that I didn’t have to do this regularly. Anyways, while maybe not all that Dylan was saying corresponded with my thoughts, there were a few lines that struck me:

   

  this old river keeps on rolling though,
  no matter what gets in the way,
  and which way the wind does blow

   

  After visiting nearly all of the groups 20+ groups that BOH and PJT work with, the old river seems to me to be the global economy…the pace and ruthlessness of the ever-changing international marketplace. International trade agreements have encouraged multinational corporations headquartered in the Global North to shift their productions offshore to cut costs where labor and environmental regulations may be nonexistent and worker’s wages are meager. Now Americans have come to expect products at rock bottom prices. While Fair Trade is a much more ethical and humanistic approach than conventional trade, it still must be expected to compete with every other product on the shelf.

   

  And aside from general challenges that confront Fair Trade, the declining dollar means the price of the products that we purchase in Peru continue to rise. This topic has surfaced continuously during my trip – everyone in Peru is worried about it. Last year one dollar was worth 3.5 soles and now it is worth only 2.85 soles. So for a product that we paid the artisans let’s say $10 for last year we now have to pay them $12.30. The retail price of the product we purchased at $10 would be $30 but at $12.30 we must charge $37 (see my posting from February 8th to see how our pricing works).

   

  In a way the old river can seem intimidating and overwhelming but at the same time, Fair Trade is a refreshing approach to international development. At least we can be a part of that river, that natural movement – trade will always exist as long as there are people in this world. It’s not a one-time handout of money, medicine or food that will last for just a season or until the grant runs out. It empowers people that would otherwise be completely left out to not just participate and benefit but to have a say in what happens. It enables people to stay in their community rather leave everything behind for a bigger city or a wealthier country. It fosters gender equality and personal growth…I could go on and on….

   

  There is a lot of work for us ahead (that I’m really excited about!!) and in order to succeed and grow we have to roll with the punches. We need to help the artisans develop products that are valued on the market and cut their own costs as much as possible. We have to increase our sales. We have to educate the public that Fair Trade really is worth the extra dollars it may cost - that a difference is being made each time through the simple purchase of a product...

   

  The next line in the song that follows the above is:

   

  I’ll just sit out on this bank of sand and watch the river flow

   

  Hmmm, this line doesn’t quite work with my metaphor so instead I’ll turn it into a challenge: don’t be the person that just sits there and lets the injustice and inequality occur in this world (if you’re reading this blog I imagine you’re not that person). Support Fair Trade because it is a way to turn something you do every day (consume and purchase products) into something that uplifts others and has a positive influence on the world where wealth and natural resources are distrubuted so unequally.

   

  Learn.
  Volunteer.
  Share your wealth.
  Challenge others.

   

  

   

   

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