Dear Editor,

As the World’s first Fair Trade Nation, we are proud to be celebrating the upcoming Fairtrade Fortnight (25^th February – 10^th March 2019).

This year we are focusing on the plight of the hardworking women cocoa farmers in the Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa. Without them we wouldn’t be able to get the chocolate we love so much.

£1.86 is the amount a cocoa farmer in West Africa needs to earn each day in order to achieve a living income. Currently, a typical cocoa farmer in Cote d’Ivoire lives on around 74p a day. Almost all cocoa farmers in West Africa live in poverty.

For the women the situation is even worse. They may plant and harvest on the farm, look after children, carry water, collect wood, cook and clean for the family, and transport the cocoa beans to market but often with fewer rights than men.

Choosing Fairtrade certified chocolate is a simple step towards helping them live a simple but dignified life, paying for essentials such as clothing, medicine and school.

So, the next time you are enjoying your favourite Fairtrade chocolate, think about how you are helping to improve the lives of the farmers that make it possible.

If you would like to get involved visit: http://fairtradewales.com/

Your Faithfully,

Aileen Burmeister

National Coordinator, Fair Trade Wales