CassieYou better believe it: I enjoy coffee.
But would I still drink it if I knew that it was at the unfair expense of others?
An estimated 250 million– that’s about 6 times the population of Canada– child slaves are currently working every day to produce coffee for us Western people.
This is sickening.
These children are:
- Starved
- Often abused
- Forced into long work hours with very little to no pay
- Put in hazardous conditions of work
It’s not easy for most consumers to stomach the contrast between the gruesome reality of slave labor and salaries that enable CEOs to live like emperors.
Producers, however, receive only 15% of the coffee industry’s revenue– a tinier portion of that going to these child slaves.
This isn’t about guilt. It’s about humanity.
Support local coffee and farmers.
Canadian Certified Fair Trade Coffee Brands
- President’s Choice
- Planet Bean
- Better Brew
- Baden Coffee Company
- Kicking Horse
- Alpha Wolf
- Forbidden Flavours
- Fratello Gourmet
- Heritage Coffee
- Java Works
*this is not a complete list
Since learning this, I have not been able to ignore the nagging conviction about my coffee drinking and purchasing. I am praying for tenacity in the pursuit of supporting only Fair Trade companies.
Important to raise awareness! Thanks for writing about this.