FOUNDATION TRAINING MAKES IMPACT IN AFRICA
Shared Interest Foundation's work to support poor communities in Africa to use fair trade to work their way out of poverty has reached more than 70 groups of artisans and farmers over the last 12 months.
Partnering with a range of fair trade organisations, the Foundation has supported delivery of business and financial training to 105 individuals to enable them to work with their co-operatives to build stronger, more efficient enterprises.
The groups range from basket weavers in Rwanda to soapstone carvers in Kenya, tea farmers in Uganda to jewellery makers in South Africa.
Andrea Wilkinson, Project Leader, says: "Our charity is only two years old but already we feel we have made a great difference to many people through fair trade.
"The benefits of our training projects extend well beyond the businesses we work with directly as the ripple effects of more sustainable fair trade businesses include higher levels of school enrolment and better incomes that provide for health care and more nutritious diets."
Types of training have been varied and comprise one-to-one mentoring, groups learning and bespoke courses tailored to the specific needs of individual organisations.
Topics cover business and finance, fair trade awareness and product development.
Andrea continues: "These courses have contributed to ensuring sustainable livelihoods for producers in both local and international markets."
Make an online donation
Shared Interest Foundation's work to support poor communities in Africa to use fair trade to work their way out of poverty has reached more than 70 groups of artisans and farmers over the last 12 months.
Partnering with a range of fair trade organisations, the Foundation has supported delivery of business and financial training to 105 individuals to enable them to work with their co-operatives to build stronger, more efficient enterprises.
The groups range from basket weavers in Rwanda to soapstone carvers in Kenya, tea farmers in Uganda to jewellery makers in South Africa.
Andrea Wilkinson, Project Leader, says: "Our charity is only two years old but already we feel we have made a great difference to many people through fair trade.
"The benefits of our training projects extend well beyond the businesses we work with directly as the ripple effects of more sustainable fair trade businesses include higher levels of school enrolment and better incomes that provide for health care and more nutritious diets."
Types of training have been varied and comprise one-to-one mentoring, groups learning and bespoke courses tailored to the specific needs of individual organisations.
Topics cover business and finance, fair trade awareness and product development.
Andrea continues: "These courses have contributed to ensuring sustainable livelihoods for producers in both local and international markets."
Make an online donation
OUR ETHICAL FUNDRAISING POLICY
Shared Interest actively seeks opportunities to work together with external organisations to achieve shared objectives. However it is vital that Shared Interest maintains its independence and does not allow external partnerships to bring the name of Shared Interest into disrepute.
Shared Interest Foundation therefore seeks, so far as is practical and within the constraints of UK law;
It is Shared Interest Foundation's policy to seek funds from a wide range of sources and to accept funding from any donor and whether monetary or in kind, provided that acceptance does not:
For further information please contact:
foundation@shared-interest.com
Shared Interest actively seeks opportunities to work together with external organisations to achieve shared objectives. However it is vital that Shared Interest maintains its independence and does not allow external partnerships to bring the name of Shared Interest into disrepute.
Shared Interest Foundation therefore seeks, so far as is practical and within the constraints of UK law;
- to ensure that the activities of organisations it works with are consistent with Shared Interest's values
- to develop relationships with companies and other donors whose activities are both supportive to, and enriching to, Shared Interest's
It is Shared Interest Foundation's policy to seek funds from a wide range of sources and to accept funding from any donor and whether monetary or in kind, provided that acceptance does not:
- impair Shared Interest's independence to pursue its mission
- endanger its integrity and reputation
- negatively impact on the work of Shared Interest Society
For further information please contact:
STRENGTHENING THE FAIR TRADE MOVEMENT
Shared Interest Foundation works as part of the global fair trade movement supporting trade as a sustainable solution to poverty.
We are a member of the Fairtrade Foundation and work with them on a regular basis to promote fair trade. Examples include sponsoring their producer tour in 2006 and their media tour in 2007
Other projects have included:
Shared Interest Foundation works as part of the global fair trade movement supporting trade as a sustainable solution to poverty.
We are a member of the Fairtrade Foundation and work with them on a regular basis to promote fair trade. Examples include sponsoring their producer tour in 2006 and their media tour in 2007
Other projects have included:
- Providing a small research grant to allow key work on the impact of local developing country fair trade organisations to be initiated
- Enabling several producer groups to attend the largest craft trade fair in Africa thereby increasing their market access opportunities. This was done through COFTA (the regional network of fair trade organisations in Africa)
Not just any old Christmas Cards.....
The very first Christmas card ever made was a charity card. It was commissioned in 1840 by Henry Cole, the first Director of the V&A museum, and designed by John Calcott Horsley. It depicted two charitable scenes, one feeding the hungry and one clothing the poor. Each year, nearly 2 billion Christmas cards are sent in the UK. Sadly only about 30% currently carry a charitable donation. Buying charity Christmas cards might not change the world in a big way, but it won't cost you any extra and will give meaningful support to the many hundreds of charities who do such splendid work.
And now you can support Shared Interest Foundation with charity Christmas cards via Studio 51, a website that has been designed and built around the ground-breaking concept that 51% of the sales will go to charity.
All you have to do is visit the Studio51 website and select the Shared Interest Foundation when you purchase your Christmas cards, and 51% of the sales will be donated to Shared Interest Foundation.
The very first Christmas card ever made was a charity card. It was commissioned in 1840 by Henry Cole, the first Director of the V&A museum, and designed by John Calcott Horsley. It depicted two charitable scenes, one feeding the hungry and one clothing the poor. Each year, nearly 2 billion Christmas cards are sent in the UK. Sadly only about 30% currently carry a charitable donation. Buying charity Christmas cards might not change the world in a big way, but it won't cost you any extra and will give meaningful support to the many hundreds of charities who do such splendid work.
And now you can support Shared Interest Foundation with charity Christmas cards via Studio 51, a website that has been designed and built around the ground-breaking concept that 51% of the sales will go to charity.
All you have to do is visit the Studio51 website and select the Shared Interest Foundation when you purchase your Christmas cards, and 51% of the sales will be donated to Shared Interest Foundation.
eBay for Charity
eBay for Charity is an easy way to support Shared Interest Foundation while doing what people do every day on eBay. Anyone who is selling an item on eBay can choose to donate a portion of their profit to Shared Interest Foundation. Buyers can shop safe in the knowledge that their money will find its way to charity. To donate, simply list your item for sale as usual then select The Shared Interest Foundation from the list of charities. You can then select anything from 1-100% of your sale price to be donated to the Foundation.
eBay for Charity is an easy way to support Shared Interest Foundation while doing what people do every day on eBay. Anyone who is selling an item on eBay can choose to donate a portion of their profit to Shared Interest Foundation. Buyers can shop safe in the knowledge that their money will find its way to charity. To donate, simply list your item for sale as usual then select The Shared Interest Foundation from the list of charities. You can then select anything from 1-100% of your sale price to be donated to the Foundation.
SHARED INTEREST FOUNDATION
We see a world where people can trade as equals.
Across the developing world, fair trade is providing communities with opportunities not available to many of them before:
Shared Interest Foundation exists to support these communities.
We provide training and education for fair trade producer groups, especially in business and financial management - programmes to improve the performance of producers' businesses thereby securing jobs and incomes for thousands of people.
We work with our sister organisation Shared Interest Society, a leading fair trade lender, to help producer communities to access the finance they can afford.
To read more about our projects please see producer training
We have been successful but want to do more. To support our work please see donate now
With your support, we can harness our position at the heart of the fair trade movement to reach more producer organisations - and through them the communities they serve.
We see a world where people can trade as equals.
Across the developing world, fair trade is providing communities with opportunities not available to many of them before:
- A chance to educate their children
- A chance to work their way out of poverty
- A chance to create better lives and livelihoods
Shared Interest Foundation exists to support these communities.
We provide training and education for fair trade producer groups, especially in business and financial management - programmes to improve the performance of producers' businesses thereby securing jobs and incomes for thousands of people.
We work with our sister organisation Shared Interest Society, a leading fair trade lender, to help producer communities to access the finance they can afford.
To read more about our projects please see producer training
We have been successful but want to do more. To support our work please see donate now
With your support, we can harness our position at the heart of the fair trade movement to reach more producer organisations - and through them the communities they serve.
