Details
The Story Behind Fair Trade Volley Balls
A Fairer System for Football Stitchers
The suppliers of fairdeal footballs; signed up to a pioneering scheme where football stitching was organised into small work units in the villages (with dedicated units for women, who, in an Islamic society could not work in the same room as men).
As part of Fair Trade, the working conditions in these units (ventilation, lighting and access to safe drinking water) are gradually being improved.
The key component of Fair Trade criteria, however, is that the workers in these centres receive for all balls ordered under Fair Trade conditions a substantially increased wage, which is calculated - were it to apply for all their work - to meet the basic needs of a family, allowing the children can go to school instead of having to work.
Furthermore, a basic health scheme is provided for all those involved in the production of Fairly Traded balls - a first for this type of employment. And in order to reduce the dependency of the workers from the ball-export-production, micro-credits are offered to improve the village level economy and to provide alternative or additional income opportunities.
To finance these changes, a Fair Trade premium is also placed on the price of each. And as with all other products that carry the Fairtrade label, compliance with these criteria is subject to constant independent monitoring: The Fairtrade label does indeed guarantee a better deal for all producers.
In the case of fairdealfootballs, the price of all our balls includes a $2 premium which contributes to the health care and micro credit schemes described above, the improvement of working conditions, and above all ensures that whoever stitched your ball has received a Fair Wage.
In addition…
We cooperate with Non Governmental Organisations in order to bring footballs to disadvantaged children all over the world, especially in areas traumatised by conflict and poverty. To date we have successfully donated footballs to Children in:
- Palestine
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
- Peru
- The Gambia
- South Africa
- Mozambique
- Yemen
- Sri Lanka (former child soldiers)
- Paraguay (street children)
- Bosnia
And the list is growing…
Not only that …
Distribution provides work for disadvantaged people.
Our distribution in the UK is managed by Pack-IT, an award winning Social Enterprise providing work opportunities for people with learning disabilities. For more information please visit www.pack-it.com