Musa Mpofu (WFTO) and members of the Drakenstein Municipality with the staff of Charleston Hill Primary School, the first South African school to join the Fair Trade Schools programme.
Last month Charleston Hill Primary School in Paarl, Western Cape signed the Fair Trade Schools Pledge of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), making a commitment to sustainability. They are the very first South African school to sign this pledge and join the Fair Trade Schools programme.
Situated in Paarl's Charleston Hill suburb, this school serves children from virtually every part of the Paarl community. Approximately 60% of the learners come from rural areas in the wider Paarl area, including wine farms, where their parents typically work as farmhands.
WFTO Africa and Middle East is excited to join hands with Charleston Hill Primary School and the Drakenstein Municipality to inspire learners to live more sustainably.
"We, World Fair Trade Organization Africa and Middle East, together with Drakenstein Municipality and Charleston Hill Primary School are pleased to announce that our Fair Trade Schools programme has commenced after all parties signed a pledge committing to this course," said Musa Mpofu, WFTO Africa and Middle East project officer. "We will be taking you on this journey towards building great sustainable communities."
The Fair Trade Schools programme focuses on promoting sustainable development in schools and universities through campaigns, education drives, and events. This is in line with building sustainable communities that have a conscious awareness that their buying and consumption habits impact the environment.
Fair Trade Schools Pledge
By signing this pledge, Charleston Hill Primary School therefore declares that they will dedicate efforts:
1. To support Fair Trade, its partners and affiliates
Fair Trade is present in different industries, and Charleston Hill Primary School will work with organisations representing the different sectors to do so.
2. To achieve Fair Trade School status
The school will attain Fair Trade School status by following all guidelines of becoming a Fair Trade School set out by the Drakenstein Municipality and the WFTO. Furthermore, the school will work towards all the goals, milestones, objectives and deliverables set out by the school, Drakenstein Municipality and WFTO.
3. To increase the awareness and knowledge about Fair Trade in the school with the eventual aim of molding young minds to become sustainable consumers and/or producers
Charleston Hill Primary School will embark on an awareness campaign to educate the learners about how using environmentally friendly practices and supporting local industries can improve the economy.
4. For Charleston Hill Primary School and its partners to organise an annual event with the theme of Fair Trade
This event will take the form of a market with the sale of local produce and traditional foods, exhibition of artists and the promotion of musicians. This event will be done in conjunction with partners.
5. To support local producers where possible
This support can be through purchasing of their products or advertising their products verbally or online.
6. To work on the respect and protection of the environment and the tangible and intangible heritage
Encouraging learners to be more environmentally conscious when undertaking regular activities at school and at home.
To learn more about the Fair Trade Schools Pledge, contact Musa Mpofu on domesticftsa@wfto-africa.org or follow the World Fair Trade Organization Africa and Middle East on Facebook.