St Mary’s students go bananas for Fairtrade
A GHANIAN banana grower visited St Mary’s secondary school recently to outline how being a Fairtrade grower has improved her and her family’s quality of life.
The New Ross school was designated a fair trade school in 2010 and students and staff use only Fairtrade tea and coffee in the student canteen and in the staff room.
A committee of students from 2nd year to 6th year promote Fairtrade throughout the school community on an ongoing basis. The committee members are: Amie Cadagon, Katelyn Coleman, Molly Laffan, Sarah McGarr, Laura Mullally, Luka Prancilliauskas, Katie Rossiter Feeney, Sorcha Walkden.
As part of their work each year the students invite a speaker to visit the school to address students on the benefits of supporting and buying Fairtrade produce.
Juliet, from the VREL banana co-op in Ghana. was accompanied by Fiona Saluk and Ciara Holland from Fairtrade Ireland to the event, which was attended by the Fairtrade committee, all 2nd Year students, representatives from the Students’ Council, principal John MIchael Porter, staff members and the trad group which provided a taste of Irish Culture for the visitors.
The committee members started by explaining how and when they became a Fairtrade school. They also emphasised that Fairtrade starts in New Ross by first supporting local businesses and then buying those Fairtrade products that can’t produced in Ireland.
Following some traditional Irish music, Juliet addressed the audience. She gave details about the co-op where she works and her role in it.
The co-op produces conventional and organic bananas for Fairtrade and other export markets and employs more than 400 workers.
Juliet is employed by the estate as both Fairtrade officer and occupational health and safety officer. She was recently promoted in line with VREL’s commitment to the Fairtrade philosophy of empowering workers, particularly women.
As management representative on the Fairtrade Joint Body, Juliet supports and advises workers’ representatives in selecting and managing projects funded by the Fairtrade Premium.
As Occupational Health & Safety Officer, she oversees the implementation of relevant workplace legislation, such as providing training and protective equipment and for organising health screenings to test workers for diabetes, hepatitis, breast cancer, typhoid, HIV and other conditions.
Juliet spoke about the company she works for and outlined how the workers benefit from the bananas being certified as Fairtrade. Producers are guaranteed a minimum price for their produce along with a Fairtrade Premium which is reinvested in community projects to improve the standard of living of the people living there. The workforce is 100 per cent unionised and more than 95 per cent are on permanent contracts and wage levels are almost 40 per cent above the government minimum wage rate.
She said new school blocks have been built in three communities. At one of the schools some lessons had to be held outdoors under palm canopies which leaked when it rained. They now have a new school building, a computer lab and a head teacher’s office.
Juliet then answered a number of questions. The day finished with some more traditional Irish music and a rendition of ‘Falling Slowly’ from the film ‘Once’ performed by the 2nd Year music students.
Ms Tinley said: ‘Everyone enjoyed the event and went away with a real sense of how by supporting Fairtrade we can make a difference one purchase at a time to the lives of workers/producers like Juliet.’
Fyffes sponsored a Fairtrade organic banana for everyone in the audience.