Starter
Review Fairtrade with the class. What is it? Why is it important? How does it work? Ask the class to think of different ideals and principles they associate with Fairtrade (e.g. equality, co-operation, fairness.)
Main Activity
Read the Kasinthula producer stories and elicit different ways in which Fairtrade has helped the sugar farmers (e.g. access to water and electricity, security, ability to build houses etc.)
Pupils examine the Fairtrade ideals statistic table. Go through it with the class. Are they surprised by the statistics? Pupils draw bar graphs using the data and explain what they learn about the differences between the UK, Malawi and Mauritius in each of the 5 categories. Discuss with the class the ways in which Fairtrade and the ideals behind Fairtrade could help to overcome the challenges faced by Malawi and Mauritius. Pupils complete the worksheet or make a note of their ideas beneath the graphs they have drawn.
Examples:
Average income: If all producers were to be given a fair price for their goods the average income in rural areas would increase. Producers may co-operate better and form co-operatives which work together.
Literacy rate: The Fairtrade premium could be used on training and support for adults. Additionally, as producers are able to send their children to school the rate will increase.
Life expectancy: If people farm organically, they eat more healthily and that will help them to live longer. It will also help if people are treated equally, regardless of disability or disadvantage.
Death rate: The Fairtrade premium could be spent on building and equipping a medical centre for the local communities.
Children in secondary education: Producers will be able to afford to send their children to secondary school in Malawi if they gain a fair price for their produce and older children will not have to take jobs to help support their families.
Plenary
Using scrap paper pupils write down a question or topic around Fairtrade, Malawi or Mauritius they would like to know more about. The questions are then distributed to other children who are asked to go away and find the answer ready to feed back to the class in the next lesson.
As an extension activity you may also want to discuss what we can learn from Craft Aid and Kasinthula Cane Growers? What can they learn from us?
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