This August I was diagnosed with a torn ligament in my right shoulder which will require surgery and physiotherapy.
I finally managed to Skype with Dr Sara Calvo Martinez founder of Living in Minca and professor at the Middlesex University Business School, London.
My fair trade story was featured in the Story Exchange Women Mean Business website.
I organised meetings with Mr Daniel Ludvig and Mr Sayed of Sheraa, Sharjah.
Had coffee with Sandra Stephenson senior lecturer at the Middlesex University Dubai, and met founder and chairperson of The ZB Foundation Dani Wilson and Saima Khan.
Conducted a Skype conversation with Dr Sara Calvo of the Middlesex University Business School London, UK as part of my prize winning a social innovation pitch in the Future Learn International Social Innovation Challenge 2016.
During our hour long conversation we discussed how I can take the business forward.
I hope I will implement her advice and suggestions and raise further awareness for fairtrade and ethical producers in the United Arab Emirates.
Many thanks to Dr Martinez for writing a letter of support for my fair trade work and campaigning in Dubai. You can read her letter here.
The Story Exchange Women Mean Business website featured an article about my work. Sabeena Ahmed - The Little Fair Trade Shop. You can read the article here.
I invited Mr Daniel Ludvig - Sheraa to dinner and learnt about Sheraa, The Accelerator Progam, The Mowada Project and Facebook training.
I also invited Mr Sayed - Sheraa to coffee and learnt about The Accelerator Progam and new initiatives at Sheraa.
Had a wonderful meeting with Sandra Stephenson senior lecturer at the Middlesex University Dubai. She is very interested in my fair trade work and asked if I would like to present my story to students this semester.
I also had a fantastic meeting with Dani Wilson and Saima Khan of the ZBFoundation.
The ZBFoundation is a pioneering organization that has initiated a heel prick test for all new born babies in Pakistan. The program has tested over 15,000 babies so far with specialist machines to be installed in major hospitals all over Pakistan over the coming year.
Saima Khan supports Fair trade
Thank you for reading my blog and I look forward to recovering from my surgery to write an update for September.
Best regards to all fairtraders and fair trade producers around the world.
Sabeena
Further Reading and Links
Future Learn International Social Innovation Challenge 2016
This month I continued to recover from my right shoulder treatment.
I remotely attend two webinars about 'Understanding the home décor
and textile and apparel market.'
These webinars were organised by ITC.
This month I continued to recover from my right shoulder treatment.
I managed to attend a World Social Enterprise Day 2024 remote webinar.
I have updated my blog I wrote in 2021 about living with invisible disabilities and chronic pain.
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I'm Sabeena Ahmed owner and creator of The Little Fair Trade Shop. I've been an individual associate member of the World Fair Trade Organization since 2011 and together with my artisans I bring you a bespoke collection of ethically sourced fashion & gifts.
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