This month I continued to heal from all my surgeries,
I raised awareness for World Day Against Child Labour and attended a few webinars.
The first webinar at the beginning of the month was 'Wave of Hope Crafting Session' with the Fairtrade Foundation UK and the Arts University Bournemouth teams and the second 'Preparing your Board Ready CV' with Lara Oyedele.
Many thanks to Sabeena Akhtar for my signed copy of 'Cut from the Same Cloth.'
This month I continued to heal from all my surgeries, celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight 21 completed my 9th Six Items Challenge with Labour Behind the Label, and
participated in International Women's Day 2021 with The World Fair Trade Organization.
So here I am for the ninth consecutive year participating in the Six Items Challenge with Labour Behind The Label.
This year the challenge commences 17th February - 31st March 2021.
I have decided to participate and support the Six Items Challenge for the ninth year because I started to campaign for garment and factory workers while caring for my mother who had been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.
The six items challenge means I choose six items of clothing to wear for six weeks.
This year I celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight 2021 alone shielding in London, UK.
This year the Fairtrade Foundation's campaign focussed on Climate Change.
Many thanks to all fairtrade farmers, fairtrade organisations, volunteers and The Fairtrade Foundation team for making this virtual online festival an amazing success, and motivating campaigners like myself to learn and do more. :)
This World Cancer Day 2021 I'd like to share my precious memories of my Amee (mother) Mrs Meshar Mumtaz Bano and the precious time we shared together when we visited Javed Manzil, Badshahi Mosque and Shalimar Gardens, Lahore, 2012.
I hope my words and videos will encourage other South East Asian Diaspora to talk openly about their loss, grief and bereavement.
This year the World Fair Trade Organization campaign has the following hastags
#PlanetFairTrade,
#FairTradeSolidarity and
#StayHomeLiveFair
The world is still living under Covid-19 conditions and it is paramount that I support all farmers, workers, employees, and artisans by promoting them.
So here I am for the eighth consecutive year participating in the Six Items Challenge 2020 with Labour Behind The Label.
This year the challenge commenced 26th February - 9th April 2020.
During the fashion fast my beloved grandmother returned to her maker, the world faced Covid 19, I had surgery for a ruptured cyst and observed Lockdown to protect key workers.
Congratulations to all the Sixers and everyone who supported garment workers at this critical time.
Hello! My name is Sabeena Ahmed.
I'm a fairtrade campaigner, educator and social entrepreneur.
I was born and educated in Manchester, UK.
I'm a qualified PGCE ESOL Practitioner, adore fairtrade chocolate and support breast cancer research.
I promote the sustainable development goals, fair trade ethical living and the circular economy.
This is a brief summary of my fairtrade activities and campaigns in the United Arab Emirates spanning 2009 to 2020.
This October I continued with Plastic Free July.
This August I continued with Plastic Free July.
Participated and attended a DIY beauty workshop.
Wrote a food blog for Zero Waste Week 2019 -
How to make Masoor (red split lentils)and Moong (yellow lentils) ki Daal, this recipe was lovingly cooked by my late mother Mrs Meshar Mumtaz Bano.
In this blog I explain how Fairtrade supports the Sustainable Development Goals and how I have attempted to implement them in my everyday work and life.
I have concentrated on the following SDG's, SDG1, SDG2, SDG5, SDG8, SDG10, SDG12, SDG13, SDG16 and SDG17.
It was an absolute pleasure and honour to meet with Moon Sharma of Tara Projects.
Apa (Big Sister) as she is lovingly known spent an evening talking about her travels around the world, Tara Projects, fairtrade and shared stories of Gateshead and Newcastle.
Apa! Thank you so much for your kindness, time and beautiful gifts.
Despite struggling with my shoulders I participated in the Six Items Challenge for the eighth year.
I enrolled on the Be The Change Course with Oxfam and the Open University.
I welcomed environmental activist Isatou Ceesay and her son Madou to Dubai.
February 2019 I applied to become an ambassador with World Pulse.
After a brave 4 year struggle with metastatic breast cancer my beautiful mother Mrs Meshar Mumtaz Bano returned to her maker.
My siblings and I miss her terribly.
I have recorded this video for World Cancer Day 2019 and hope it will assist others in the Pakistani and Asian community to talk openly about cancer prevention, palliative care and those left behind.
I fulfilled a life time ambition to visit Pakistan December 2011 and February 2015 and met the only two fair trade certified organisations in Karachi and Rawalpindi.
I also conducted interviews with a government official and non profit organisations who are working towards implementing the ten principles of fair trade. Each organisation has a dual role and purpose;
1. to support rural artisans establish and develop strong sustainable projects and
2. revive traditional skills and techniques.
I have attached interviews with Fairtrade and NGO's I visited during December January 2011/12 and February/March 2015.
THE DOMINION TRADERS
SABAH PAKISTAN
THE RA'ANA LIAQUAT CRAFTMEN'S COLONY
THE HOME BASED WOMEN'S WORKERS FEDERATION
AHAN - AIK HUNAR AIK NAGAR
KAARVAN CRAFTS - PRIDE PAKISTAN
AL FALAH TRUST AND EMBROIDERY PROJECT
The Ra'ana Liaquat Craftmen's Colony
Income Generation Programme
The Ra'ana Liaquat Craftmen's Colony was founded by Begum Ra'ana Liaquat, 1954.
I visited their inspirational headquarters and observed training workshops where ladies were taught to produce beautiful up-cycled products.
Mrs Nisreen was happy to share her story and work experiences. It was wonderful to learn how the income generation programme had empowered her and given her the opportunity to supplement her income by designing crochet products.
As a passionate advocate for fairtrade and ethical slow fashion I decided to enroll on the Future Learn 'Who Made Your Clothes?' Course with the University of Exeter.
This online course is free but you can receive a certificate and unlimited access to resources and materials for $39 which is approximately £30 depending on the exchange rate.
For the sixth consecutive year I'm participating and supporting Labour Behind The Label and their innovative concept raising awareness about fast fashion by fasting for fashion.
The Six Items Challenge simply means that for six weeks I will be wearing six items of every day clothing, don't worry I am entitled to an endless supply of undergarments and exercise gear.
Why?
I care about the millions of countless individuals producing clothes and accessories in factories and workshops around the world who deserve a decent living wage and good working conditions.
If you would like to participate or support Labour Behind The Label's work click to read more.
I have been campaigning for fairtrade and ethical producers and ethical consumerism in my beloved home city of Manchester, London, Dubai and Abu Dhabi for the past 14 years.
One of greatest accomplishments is converting my mother to fairtrade products before she returned to her maker.
As the only fair trade campaigner, educator and modest retailer in the United Arab Emirates I have struggled to create a niche market for fair trade products.
Nevertheless, I have never lost heart and am more determined than ever to dispel the myth about fair trade being ''charity.''
It was a wonderful experience to meet Professor Mohammad Yunus at Salford University.
A privilege to discuss fair trade with Dr Jamil Sherif and Mrs Naseema Begum at the Muslim Council of Britain November 2016.
Thank you World Pulse for your compassion and love and for your support in raising my voice as a Muslim Female Social Entrepreneur.
I continue to educate people about fair trade artisans and groups by promoting the principles of a living wage, self-reliance, empowerment, transparency, environmental sustainability and dignity and self respect for all.
Sign up to get the latest on fair trade fashion.
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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