by Amie Brooke Nelson

Created on: May 12, 2008   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Fair Trade: Helping Mothers Around the World

When Joan Shifrin became a mother, she found herself thinking more about other caretakers globally and how all want the same basic things for their children: education, safety and a chance to succeed. She knew when you empower a woman in the labor force, it directly benefits her children's quality of life and ultimately society as a whole. "When you invest in women through fair trade practices, you're investing not only in the family- but the community and the country," says Joan.

More than 3 billion people in the world exist on less than a dollar a day. Joan is one of two mothers who were so concerned by this reality they created Global Goods Partners- a nonprofit organization that ensures income from goods made in the developing world is received directly by those who produced them. Their model is unique as it gives women from disadvantaged regions access to new markets through school fundraising programs in the United States. Their merchandise mainly handcrafted jewelry and clothing is sold by students to generate school funds and help raise awareness of the challenges facing many individuals their communities.

In traditional commerce, the return to laborers for the manufacture of jewelry, clothing and accessories is minimal, with economic rewards going directly to the owners of local factories, importers, wholesalers and international corporations. Fair trade practices can ensure that women's work is properly valued and rewarded so they are paid justly for their contribution to the production process. It creates entrepreneurial opportunities for less favored producers, especially indigenous women, and protects young girls and boys from being exploited. Fair Trade is a pragmatic approach to reducing poverty and improving the living conditions of people worldwide, particularly women and children.

I met with Joan Shifrin and Catherine Shimony of Global Goods Partners in their New York City offices to learn about their vision for a new trend in marketing and commerce. Together, they are creating a new fair trade model by working closely with craftswomen and their communities, traveling to their villages and spending days talking and learning from them so they can assist with unmet needs and find the right markets for their products. These two mothers are bridging worlds; giving support to women globally, while providing educational opportunities to students back home.

For years, Joan and Catherine worked with humanitarian

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