Människorna bakom FAIRTRADE

Jag tänkte bjuda på första intervjun från Kenya. Det är sista dagen i Kenya, vi har åkt i ett antal timmar och ska precis gå in på Karen Blixen-museet då vår lärare kom på idéen om att jag och Ellen faktiskt kunde låna en av chaufförerna och ta oss till Kazuri. Vad vi vet är inte mycket mer än att de har en shop, fabrik och är FAIR TRADE ORGANIZATION certifierade. Väl framme möter vi en trädgård med rik växtlighet vilket är mycket vanligt i de "rika" områdena utanför Nairobi som innefattar Karen Blixen området. Vi går in i shopen, möter några kvinnor i fina arbetskläder. Vi får lov att titta runt lite innan vi får en tid med managern, de säljer främst smycken i shopen men även andra produkter som skor, vilka då har andra märken än just Kazuri.

Managern Richard, jag och Ellen sätter oss i "Coffee garden" som de har utanför shopen för en intervju.

Kazuri Ceramic Beads, Jewellry & Pottery
Nairobi, Kenya 19/9 2009
Moa Ferm
Ellen Hugosson
Richard M. Goes, Karen shop manager
[email protected]

What is your connection with Fair Trade?
I think Fair Trade is all about equal opportunities between human beings. Human rights for women here at Kazuri. We joined World Fair Trade Organization in 2001.

What is the difference between working for Fair Trade compared to "normal" companies?
Women suffer more than men in generally so we want equality between people. It's never about making money here, our company helps the street women.

How can woking for Fair Trade affect your future? Economy? / How is your country developing with the certification?
Our aim is to make Kazuri global, it's not about making money and Fair Trade Organization helps us with that. We can not help all the people in our country, only a handful. You can get a job at Kazuri when you are 21 years old and above, we encourage education. We also give our employees a bonus for their performances. At Christmas everyone gets a fair amount. The ladies are still here since opening because we don't fire people.
  About the payments we have a limit we don't cross, and it's a higher amount than the governments law says. You can work casual only for three months and then you become an employee.




Efter en pratstund med Richard och en visning i butiken och fabriken fick vi möjligheten att prata med en anställd i shopen, de som arbetade i fabriken hade tyvärr gått hem för dagen.



Esther Wambui Waweru
48 years old
Employee

What do you think is the main advantages to work for a Fair Trade Company?
Working for a Fair Trade company is about your family, and this company has really helped me. The company has changed the life of my family very much, for example education for my children. Now I got two children at college.

What is different with working for a Fair Trade Company compared to other companies?
Here they don't mind my age as they do at other companies where they let you go when you get older. They trust your ability here. We also get a benefit bonus, for example if you get sick they have their medical clinic. You learn a lot here too.

So they never fire anyone here? What happens in an economical crisis?
No, they don't fire people. In an economical crisis we always stay occupied one way or another.

How do you think working for a Fair Trade Company affects your future and your economy?
My future is bright from working here. It gives a great future to everyone and I've worked here for 15 years now and it has really helped me and my family. 

Do you get a good pay for the work you're doing?
The payment is secret but it's good. I get paid in other ways than money too, you can see it as a social payment with the medical clinic and help for my family.

Has working for Fair Trade helped you take more control over your life?
Yes, very much. They have introduced a way for us to save money. If you for example save 1000 (100 kr) Kenyan Shillings for 6 months, you get back three times the amount for saving your money in the company. So it's like investments.



             


"You should not look down on people, you should look up at them"
Richard M. Goes Karen Shop Manager