As Fair Trade Egypt opens its first shop in Maadi, Gehad Hussein talks to the young woman behind the idea Handicrafts are proudly displayed in Fair Trade, Egypt's first shop in Maadi aimed at empowering artisans and ensuring sustainable revenue of their craft. That is exactly what Fair Trade Egypt (FTE) is working on. The concept of Fair Trade internationally is to empower artisans by encouraging them to produce handicraft and selling it for them later on, while also giving them a fair share of the sales. First started in the late 1980s, Fair Trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to and securing the rights of marginalised producers and workers, especially in the south of the country. Over the years, the idea flourished into numerous foundations such as Fair Trade Labelling Organisations International (FLO), which unites 21 labelling initiatives across Europe, Japan, North America, Mexico and Australia/New Zealand as well as networks of producer organisations from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. On a parallel note, the main aim of FTE, which started in Egypt in 1998, is to assist talented but struggling Egyptian artisans who have been particularly hard-hit by massive industrialisation and globalisation. "FTE supports over 2,600 artisans, between the ages of 20 to 60, in 14 governorates and provides between 500 to 1,000 types of products," explained Mona El-Sayed, general manager of FTE and board director of the World Fair Trade Organisation. Being a business graduate of the American University in Cairo, a young El-Sayed switched from her corporate lifestyle to social development, trying to apply what she had learned in university for the good of the people. "Rebranding and renaming the organisation from Egypt Craft to Fair Trade Egypt in 2004 helped us live up to our concept and create awareness about it. It enabled us to become more professional and credible," El-Sayed explained. "It took time to understand how to bring the concept to the Egyptian people." Between wood, copper, leather, alabaster and embroidered personal accessories and home décor products, FTE fully depends on its sales income without any external help. Besides giving the artisans a fair share of their sold goods, the organisation also offers them interest-free loans for financial safety. "Fair Trade helps us in exporting our crafts to Germany, Holland, Italy, and America, usually on a monthly basis and thus increases our income," commented Ishaq, one of the artisans benefiting from FTE. It all sounds easier than it actually is. Charity and social responsibility organisations like FTE still have to pay taxes and customs, although it is believed that the money should be invested in the well-being of the producers instead of going to the government. Additionally, the government does not offer any support, according to El-Sayed. Another problem FTE faces is the lack of volunteers. "We have a low budget to market ourselves and at the same time volunteer work in Egypt has become very hard to find," El-Sayed told Al-Ahram Weekly. "Especially after the revolution, we do not have the budget to hold events that attract young people the way we used to because we are trying to support the artisans any way we can." But in a way, it has become easier to persuade people to volunteer because Egyptians have started to sympathise with their fellow Egyptians and have come out of their little bubble. "The Egyptian volunteer is part of the sustainability of this organisation," El-Sayed adds. FTE also tries to overcome one of the main problems facing the Egyptian industry as a whole: lack of specifications. Egyptian products are usually not export-friendly because they do not pass quality controls. Hence, the locally manufactured product becomes more of a burden than an asset. When dealing with handicraft, it becomes even harder to create "perfect" goods since the used materials are usually hard to work with. "No matter what the artisans produce, they have to abide by certain sizes, weights and health-related norms," El-Sayed said. "Only then can we sell their artifact and export them. Of course they can be creative within these norms. "But I'm very proud of the Fair Trade Organisation because I believe it made a difference in the lives of many people. I have seen how the producers have developed and worked themselves upwards." The organisation is planning to expand to South Sinai and Al-Wadi Al-Gadid in the near future.
