Young people the focus of 'celebration' of fairtrade in Limerick

YOUNG PEOPLE from across Limerick were the focus of Fairtrade Fortnight as they displayed posters in Council Chambers that they created to help change the way people think about trade and the products on our shelves.

Siobhán Hipolito from Milford NS Castletroy won first prize in this year’s Fairtrade Poster Competition, with  Ava Ní Shúilleabháin, a student at An Mhodhscoil, O’Connell Avenue coming in second and Emma O’Brien placing third.

Fairtrade worker Juliet Arku from the VREL Banana Co-operative in Ghana was the special guest at this year’s fairtrade Fortnight, which features a programme aimed at promoting awareness of fairtrade-certified products.

“The fairtrade movement is made up of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their communities for fairtrade. Your actions help shoppers to make choices that change the lives of farmers and workers,” Ms Arku said, speaking at the event in Dooradoyle. “This fair-trade fortnight we are encouraged to check out fairtrade and help change the world.” 

The use of fairtrade products has grown in Ireland, according to ​chairperson of the Limerick fairtrade city committee Dolores O’Meara.

“While the good news is that sales of Fairtrade products in Ireland grew from €273 million in 2016 to €342 million in 2017, an increase of 25%, we need to keep up this momentum. Farmers on small holdings in the developing world depend on the choices we make as consumers.”

“When they trade through fairtrade, they not only get a fair price which provides them with a sustainable living but their fairtrade co-operative also gets an additional payment, a social premium, which is used for community development projects.”