Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Organization sells fair-trade goods at Rutgers to aid Darfur
By Emanuel Anzules
Daily Targum (Rutgers)
04/02/2007

(U-WIRE) NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — Baskets and handmade bags from India, necklaces made in Kenya, hot plates from the Philippines, candles from Honduras, and numerous other items decorated a table that attracted the attention of passersby Thursday at Rutgers University.

Oxfam America Rutgers Chapter sold ethnic arts, crafts and items outside the Rutgers Student Center to benefit the craftspeople behind them. The organization at the University derives from a larger international organization, Oxfam International, which focuses on reducing poverty, suffering and injustice in developing countries.

"People come by and play with stuff," said Oxfam Treasurer Cheryl Lamptey, a senior.

The items, which come from developing countries around the world, "are 'ethnic' because they are handmade in different countries. Some items have stories along with them, Lamptey said.

Soaps on sale for $4 were made from natural ingredients and, if purchased, would send a child to school for a week in India.

All of the proceeds will serve to aid the humanitarian crisis taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan, which is one of Oxfam's major goals for the year.

"It's a terrible crisis that's happening down there," said Oxfam Make-Trade Fair Chairperson Sami Jaffrey, a junior. "There are a lot of beautiful stories behind this stuff."

Junior Naureen Zaidi, an Oxfam member, said the most important part of this sale is helping people get out of poverty and allowing them to receive the price they deserve.

The Oxfam student representatives said the artisans behind the crafts get paid up front for their crafts, and always get the full price for the products they make.

The Princeton store 10,000 Villages, in addition to co-sponsoring the event with Oxfam, also provided the arts, crafts and items being sold.

Jean Stockdale is an executive director of a nonprofit agency "Who is My Neighbor" in Highland Park. The agency works in an effort to help people be good neighbors, in both local and global communities. She explained the importance of such organizations, the items and the idea behind the sale.

Stockdale referenced fair trade — a social movement promoting the standards of international labor and exports from developing to developed countries. This alternative assists entire communities in overcoming poverty.

Oxfam will hold another sale this Wednesday.

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