Playing the fair game

Makaibari Tea Estate in Darjeeling, where tea is sourced ethically

Life for the most of us comes in three fragments - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And it isn't hard to admit that although we may care to put some thought into what we eat, we don't really think a lot about where it comes from or who makes this possible - statistics will tell you that your three-meal lifestyle alone is a luxury. In order to spread awareness on ethical consumption, the Fairtrade Foundation, an independent UK-based NGO, has organised a week-long pan-India campaign that began this Monday. The organisation is known for its label on products that indicate that they have been ethically sourced from producers.

Devina Singh

Its pilot school in Ghatkopar, the Universal School, is host to various activities for students that include forming a steering committee and lesson plan. In addition, players from Mumbai's Roots Academy will be part of a match in which footballs that have been made responsibly in Sialkot in Pakistan will be used. The event, open to the public, is all set to take place next Wednesday at St Andrew's ground in Bandra. "Footballs are often made by child labourers in factories. And one child's joy should not stem from another one sitting in a factory," says Devina Singh, communications manager at the foundation.

But the campaign goes beyond just activities held across the country. It's a global movement. Singh explains, "As consumers, we can make small changes to our daily lives. You can look out for a label when you buy a product. Click a picture with it, use the #FairEnough hashtag, make a pledge and spread awareness about the fact that this is free of any economic and environmental exploitation."

LOG ON TO week.fairtradeindia.org to get involved

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