Comments on: Fair Trade premiums http://www.fairtradesports.com/premiums.htm Fairly traded soccer balls, volleyballs, and more Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:43:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Tom Gardner http://www.fairtradesports.com/premiums.htm#comment-25535 Tom Gardner Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:30:33 +0000 http://www.fairtradesports.com/premiums.htm#comment-25535 This is great work that reflects a deeply sensitive appreciation of best practices in international development. It starts with practical means to enable adult workers to support a family and also provides a credit fund for workers to start small enterprises or expand farming. These micro-lending programs have been very successful throughout the developing world, and, with a high rate of repayment, are sustainable. How wonderful for your customers to know that simply by purchasing their kids' or their own sports gear (for the same or better prices they would pay anyway), they can be supporting families this way (and liberating children from sweat shops). Keep up the good and smart work. Tom Gardner, Ph.D. Prof. of Communication Formerly senior editor, Harvard Institute for International Development This is great work that reflects a deeply sensitive appreciation of best practices in international development. It starts with practical means to enable adult workers to support a family and also provides a credit fund for workers to start small enterprises or expand farming. These micro-lending programs have been very successful throughout the developing world, and, with a high rate of repayment, are sustainable.

How wonderful for your customers to know that simply by purchasing their kids’ or their own sports gear (for the same or better prices they would pay anyway), they can be supporting families this way (and liberating children from sweat shops). Keep up the good and smart work.

Tom Gardner, Ph.D. Prof. of Communication Formerly senior editor, Harvard Institute for International Development

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