Western Australia Fair Trade Collective

The Western Australia Fair Trade Collective (WAFTC) is a group of organizations, community members, retailers and wholesalers that actively promote fair trade in Western Australia.

Currently in their sixth year, they are volunteers working closely with the Fair Trade Association of Australia and New Zealand. Their aim is to:

• Raise awareness of fair trade with WA consumers
• Promote WA Businesses dealing with fair trade products
• Connect WA fair trade consumers with WA fair trade businesses
• Provide a forum for discussion and development of fair trade in WA and
• Keep the WA fair trade community up to date with all things fair trade

Their main focus is the Fair Trade Fortnight, Australia and New Zealand’s biggest annual celebration of all things fair trade. Each year Fair Trade Fortnight coincides with World Fair Trade Day - an international celebration with thousands of events world-wide.

Past events include:

 

• The Fair Trade Art Exhibition now in its sixth year, where local artists are asked to exhibit in support of fair trade. The fair trade Chocolate Cake auction is also in its sixth year and held on the same evening.

• Annual Fair Trade Fiestas or Markets

• A Speakers Night in 2010, featuring Kohinoor Yeasman, from the NGO Tarango, Bangladesh.

• Afternoon Tea with Cecilia Grandadino from MINKA Fair Trade, Peru. - 2011. Funds raised during the fortnight in WA go to various projects. Some of the beneficiaries in the past have included;

• 2006 Oxfam’s Tackling Chronic Malnutrition in Timor-Leste Program.

• 2007 & 2008 Yogakarta Earthquake Housing Project.

• 2009 The Solomon Islands Water Tank Project.

• 2010 The Ainaro East Timor Education Project & Majella School Swimming Program

• 2011 Empowering Cambodia

 

WAFTC have a mailing list to provide information of future meetings, events and fair trade news that may be of interest.

 

Email: wa@fairtrade.com.au to be added to the list.

 

Their facebook page can be found by searching: WAFTC.