A language is more than just words and sounds. Through
language we can understand one another’s culture, heritage and ethnicity. And today
Australia is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse countries. There
are over 200 languages spoken in Australia, and of these around 50 are
indigenous languages. However these are only spoken by approximately 0.3% of
our population, therefore preserving and developing these languages is critical
to sustaining the traditions of Australia’s indigenous past.
Likewise literacy is a key instrument in lifting people out
of poverty, whether through securing employment or accessing adequate health and
education services. Many of the producers that we support at the Oxfam Fair
Trade WA shop direct their profits into programs aimed at sustaining the
languages that underpin the culture of a society.
TARA Projects, an artisan based community in India offers
adult literacy classes to its members, empowering women into enterprise,
overcoming poverty and exploitation. They create a range of decorative ornaments
and jewellery, many of which you can see in our shop.
MAI Handicrafts originated with the goal of providing
informal literacy classes to disadvantaged children who could not afford to go
to school in Vietnam. Through producing their handicrafts, they have been able
to expand their aims into tying social development into economic self-reliance.
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