Fair Trade in Kenya

Rick Peyser, Director of Social Advocacy and Coffee Community Outreach is on the Board of Directors for the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO). FLO is the organization that coordinates Fair Trade labeling on an international level. They set international Fair Trade standards, organize support for producers around the world, develop global Fair Trade strategy, and promote trade justice internationally.

As a member of their Board of Directors, Rick travels four times a year to different locations for FLO’s Board’s meetings. Right now, Rick is far away in Nairobi, Kenya. As part of this quarter’s Board Meeting, they are visiting Fair Trade tea farms around the area.

Below is an update I received from Rick today, literally written on the road as he entered the Rift Valley, Kenya:

“We are in one of our two buses on our way from Nairobi to our hotel in the Rift Valley. We still have close to two hours to go. We started today at 7 a.m. – long day.

It has been sunny and warm today, but is now clouding up a bit. The country is in the midst of a severe drought. I watched a report on TV yesterday morning that was about cattle that died due to no water – very sad for the animals and their owners.

As expected people are very poor, and it was heartening hearing from tea producers about the difference fair trade is making in their lives.

It is nearing dusk, and we just came to a spectacular view of the Rift Valley which we are starting to descend into.

At any rate, it has been a long day, and tomorrow promises to be just as long and even more interesting

-Rick”

Click here for the general area of where Rick is.

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