Venturing in the World of Volunteering - Il-Hanut L-Arka

This is the first of a three part series of articles written by Lindsay Fenech following her experience in three different voluntary organisations. These articles serve to explain the details of her experience within The Fair Trade Shop (L-Arka), Funny Farm - Horse Rescue Association and The Island Sanctuary.

Il-Hanut L-Arka - Kooperativa Kummerc Gust.

Il-Hanut Arka, which is located in St. Paul’s Street, Valletta, is a shop run by Koperattiva Kummerc Gust, which its main goal is to promote fairness and equality between producers and consumers. The term ‘Equality’ defines a situation where everyone is treated the same and no preferences or exploitations are made. The producers of the items sold in the shop are offered better trading terms and conditions. These producers are found in various countries like Indonesia and India. These produce different kinds of commodities. In fact, in the shop one can find both food items and decorations.

The Fair Trade tries to reduce abuses made on these people by large firms, which their only concern is to make abnormal profits. The people who run the shop give a huge importance to human rights, which help poor people from being exploited. They keep track of different producers so that they won’t be taken advantage of. The Fair Trade works with various producers for example the EMA (Equitable Marketing Association) which is found in India. All the principles of a democratic society are valued in this shop.

Many volunteers help in the shop. The shop opens from 9.30 am to 1.00pm and from 4.30pm to 6.30 on the weekdays. However, on Saturday it only opens from 9.30 am till 1.00pm. The shop is always very busy especially in the mornings. Many people visit the shop because the goods sold are very original and unique. A lot of tourists visit the shop to buy gifts. Usually only one volunteer stays in the shop. Apart from selling things to the clients, the volunteer must also rearrange the items on the shelves and the shop window.

I personally suggest that volunteering with il-Hanut Arka is an amazing experience. I spent approximately 9 hours working with the shop and I really enjoyed it. I got to meet new people and the other volunteers were really friendly. Since I was working for a good cause, the experience was really satisfying. It also made feel really appreciated and help me widen my knowledge. I got to learn more about different cultures. I also realised that I should put more into consideration those who are ‘less fortunate’.

GH Spotted at Worldfest

Snapshots of Simone at Worldfest where Greenhouse had a stand promoting fair trade goodies and our events and projects!

Know Your Food - Know Yourself

What's Up Next?

WorldFest10 - If food could Speak!

Greenhouse will be part of the WorldFest this year. An annual event organised by the Kooperativa Kummerc Gust (Malta Fair Trade Cooperative) with the aim of promoting Fair Trade in Malta. This year's event will see th closure of the Kieku L-ikell Jitkellem Campaign where the focus will be put on Food and where our food comes from.

As part of this Day Festival Greenhouse is planning to set up an Exhibition on the water content to produce different food. The concept is known as virtual water and its a critical concept in determining the real water scarcity in our communities. So come and learn as ours will be only one part of the Festival where everyone will be pulling the same rope to teach the public a little more about our Food.

Remember

You Are What You Eat

Looking forward to see you all there :)

More information regarding the event:

On Sunday, May 16 from 10.00am to 10.00pm, the Upper Barrakka Gardens in Valletta will be hosting hundreds of Fair Traded food items and crafts from Malta and small communities in Latin America, Asia and Africa, and a series of events celebrating Food Sovereignity at this year’s ninth edition of WorldFest. This Fair Trade Festival is organized by the volunteers of Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust in collaboration with other organisations.

This year’s edition will include a traditional Ethiopian coffee ritual, a public forum in Maltese on food sovereignity, a stand by two Mexican workers and labour rights activists who have been invited to Malta to share their experiences, different activities for children and teenagers, a performance of forum theatre, and a concert featuring a young international female trio, traditional dabke dance and the up-and-coming Maltese band Plato’s Dream Machine. Entrance to all events will be free.

WorldFest will bring to an end KKĠ’s campaign on food sovereignty, Kieku l-Ikel Jitkellem, supported by the EU-funded project Enlarging Fair, which was launched on World Food Day, 2009, in cooperation with a host of other local and foreign organisations.

Other organisations, NGOs and cooperatives that will also have stands are Koperattiva Rurali Manikata, the Arabic Culture Information Society, Moviment Graffitti, The Gaia Foundation, Food First Malta, Friends of the Earth Malta, Greenhouse Malta, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I Shop Fair Project, Home Economists in Action, and Ta’ Żeppi. These will provide local produce and information about different issues related to food. For the first time, Koperattiva Rurali Manikata will be selling carob syrup made with local carobs and Fair Trade sugar.

During the day there will be activities for children such as face painting. Between 11.00 a.m. and 12.00 noon and between 5.00 and 6.00 p.m. there will be interactive activities for teens. Two Mexican women, one working in a factory that produces mobile phones and the other working with CEREAL, a Mexican NGO dealing with human rights, will be present throughout the day to raise awareness about the harsh conditions that workers have to face in the supply chain of IT production.

A public forum on the global impact of individual choices, “Għażliet Personali: Impatt Globali,” will be held between 5.00 p.m. and 7.00 p.m. and chaired by journalist James Debono. The speakers include Ms Nathalie Grima from Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust, University lecturers Dr Suzanne Piscopo and Dr Karen Mugliett, AD spokesperson for sustainable development Mr Carmel Cacopardo, and Mr Martin Galea De Giovanni from Friends of the Earth. The forum will explore issues related to food sovereignty and enhance public awareness. The public will be encouraged to participate in the discussion.

After the forum, Maltese, Palestinian, Asian and Eritrean food will be on sale, followed by the evening’s performances which start at 8.00 p.m. For the first time, WorldFest will feature a theatrical forum in which the audience will be asked to propose solutions to a given situation. The performers at this year’s concert are an international trio made up of Arianna, Anne and Anna; dabke, the most popular folk dance in Palestine, and a live performance by Plato’s Dream Machine.

Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust is a not-for-profit cooperative which has been promoting Fair Trade since 1996. WorldFest is an annual event that creates public awareness about Fair Trade and development issues. The public is invited to attend this festival celebrating Fair Trade and Food in a multicultural atmosphere. More information about WorldFest, Koperattiva Kummerċ Ġust and Kieku l-Ikel Jitkellem Campaign is available at www.l-arka.org and www.l-ikel.org.