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Etiko Fair Trade works with UK based importers who are members of the British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS). These suppliers, in turn, support a wide variety of producers in developing countries, working with them to improve the lives of their workers and their families.
Outlined below are some of the producers that benefit from your purchase from Etiko Fair Trade:
THE ESTHER BENJAMINS TRUST
 The Esther Benjamins Trust (EBT) is the leading registered charity that works solely for Nepalese children and young people. It was founded by Philip Holmes in 1999 in memory of his first wife, Esther Benjamins.
Early project work involved the rescue of innocent children who were being held alongside their parents in Nepal’s jails. The children were brought to the EBT refuge care facilities and looked after full time and given the love and nurturing that they deserve. Esther’s family grew rapidly and now number almost 90 as children have been taken in from other sources, including street children and now circus children.
EBT has progressed to stand in the frontline of the battle against child trafficking, focussing on the hundreds of Nepalese children trapped inside Indian circuses. These children have been sold by their parents to agents who in turn “contract” them to circuses for up to 10-15 years. During that time the children (mainly girls) work 16-18 hour days, seven days per week with beatings and sexual abuse commonplace. Since early 2004 EBT has successfully retrieved over 150 children from the circuses and is working to rehabilitate and reintegrate returnees into society.
To find out more about the Esther Benjamins Trust, including how to make a donation, visit their website at www.ebtrust.org.uk.
THE WOMEN’S SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
 The Women’s Skills Development Project (WSDP) was established in Nepal in 1975 as a government funded training centre where local women would come and learn how to weave, cut and sew textiles. By 1989 the Nepalese government was no longer able to continue funding, however one of the employees, Ramkali Khadka, saw the potential of the project and took action, collecting investment from her family and the community and gradually transforming WSDP into a self-sufficient and successful NGO. The WSDP has always aimed to employ women who are most in need. The women come from a variety of social, economic and ethnic backgrounds, many of them come from rural villages and are widowed, divorced, disabled or abused; some have been cast out from their homes and villages.
After arriving at the WSDP they are provided training in material cutting, sewing, weaving, dying, business management and various other skills related to handicraft production. There have also been some classes in health awareness and English language, all freely provided by local and foreign volunteers.
Thanks to years of hard work and dedication to their craft, the Women’s Skills Development Project has been able to provide hundreds of women with the vocational skills necessary to become self-reliant. It is one of the few women’s organisations in the region, and is looked upon as an example of a successful NGO.
To find out more about the Women’s Skills Development Project, visit their website at www.wsdp.org.np.
NAMASTE
 Namaste is UK based fair trade based importer that has been trading for ten years, buying most of its products directly from the primary producers, but also supporting some larger operations. From the point of view of the workers there are advantages to both; for example, a large company is able to offer a secure job and many more benefits, such as free healthcare for the worker and their family and free education. They are also able to support community projects.
One Namaste supplier in India gives funding to 2 beautiful schools set in a remote village in Rajasthan. Another in Nepal supports an orphanage providing, amongst other things, a water tank, food and blankets. He also gives his workers grants for festivals, clothes to wear for work and holiday pay. Being a larger supplier also gives some companies the opportunity to contract out work to smaller artisan groups, who Namaste would find it difficult to give work to without using the contact of the larger company.
In developing markets, such as Nepal, Indonesia and Thailand, Namaste deal with only primary producers. Many do not have the capital to be able to fulfil the order, so advance payments are made for materials, workers and whatever else is necessary. In 2002 Namaste provided their Nepalese clothing supplier with a large advance for him to buy land, machinery and the building for a new cotton-knitting workshop. These advance payments have enabled him to survive despite bad debt problems with other Western customers.
All Namaste suppliers ensure that their workers are paid a fair price per piece, which is above the national average, and men and women are paid the same rate.
Namaste products all use azo-free dyes. These create a safer working environment and are better for the environment in general. Many Namaste products are made entirely from recycled materials, which are used wherever possible.
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