Erika Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ [email protected] ~ Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Day 13: Fair Trade: Green Mabraat Kabadda: This is Mabraat Kabadda, a coffee farmer from the Oromia region of Ethiopia: the birthplace of coffee. There, the Oromia Coffee Farmer’s Cooperative Union (OCFCU) has become a leader in certifying Fairtrade coffee growers in the region. Farmers, like Mabraat, produce organic coffee beans but unfortunately the sensitive plants are susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Because of these threats, Oromia was one of the first places to utilize the Fairtrade Climate Standard. Mabraat was a part of this plan. She lives with her children in a beautiful mountainous area where she would typically have to collect wood everyday for cooking, which was time consuming. With the Fairtrade Climate Standard, 40,000 energy efficient stoves were delivered to coffee growing households in the region to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from traditional cooking methods. Mabraat received one of these stoves and along with it giving her more time to spend with friends and family. She is now a legible to sell Fairtrade Carbon Credits, as well. The reduction of greenhouse gases from these new stoves could be up to 70%! Because so many farmers were able to receive these stoves, the whole community is improved and more prepared to take on climate change together. I was compelled by Mabraat’s story for multiple reasons. This summer, I spent 5 weeks living in Ethiopia with my dear friend, Lul and her family, and we put on a youth conference to discuss ideas, projects, and the development of Ethiopia. That short amount

Erika Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ [email protected] ~ … Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ [email protected] ~ Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Day 13: Fair Trade: Green Mabraat Kabadda: This is

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Page 1: Erika Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ elwilson13@verizon.net ~ … Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ elwilson13@verizon.net ~ Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Day 13: Fair Trade: Green Mabraat Kabadda: This is

Erika Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ [email protected] ~ Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Day 13: Fair Trade: Green

Mabraat Kabadda:

ThisisMabraatKabadda,acoffeefarmerfromtheOromiaregionofEthiopia:thebirthplaceofcoffee.There,theOromiaCoffeeFarmer’sCooperativeUnion(OCFCU)hasbecomealeaderincertifyingFairtradecoffeegrowersintheregion.Farmers,likeMabraat,produceorganiccoffeebeansbutunfortunatelythesensitiveplantsaresusceptibletotheimpactsofclimatechange.

Becauseofthesethreats,OromiawasoneofthefirstplacestoutilizetheFairtradeClimateStandard.Mabraatwasapartofthisplan.Sheliveswithherchildreninabeautifulmountainousareawhereshewouldtypicallyhavetocollectwoodeverydayforcooking,whichwastimeconsuming.WiththeFairtradeClimateStandard,40,000energyefficientstovesweredeliveredtocoffeegrowinghouseholdsintheregiontoreducethegreenhousegasemissionsfromtraditionalcookingmethods.

Mabraatreceivedoneofthesestovesandalongwithitgivinghermoretimetospendwithfriendsandfamily.SheisnowalegibletosellFairtradeCarbonCredits,aswell.Thereductionofgreenhousegasesfromthesenewstovescouldbeupto70%!Becausesomanyfarmerswereabletoreceivethesestoves,thewholecommunityisimprovedandmorepreparedtotakeonclimatechangetogether.

IwascompelledbyMabraat’sstoryformultiplereasons.Thissummer,Ispent5weekslivinginEthiopiawithmydearfriend,Lulandherfamily,andweputonayouthconferencetodiscussideas,projects,andthedevelopmentofEthiopia.Thatshortamount

Page 2: Erika Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ elwilson13@verizon.net ~ … Wilson ~ elwilson13 ~ elwilson13@verizon.net ~ Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Day 13: Fair Trade: Green Mabraat Kabadda: This is

oftimeIspentthere,allowedmetogrowadeepconnectiontotheplace,cultureandpeopleandIfinditsoinspiringandencouragingthatWOMENlikeMabraatarereceivingthesekindsofopportunitiesthroughFairTradepractices.

IlovethewayFairTradeactsasachangeagentamongcommunitiesandishelpingto“unitethehumanrace”asBronnersays.LearningaboutfairtradehasmademethinkalotabouthowmuchIappreciatehumanityandthewayfairbusinesspracticescanseriouslyworktowardsimprovingpeople’slives.IcaresomuchaboutthisworldandthepeopleinitandFairTradeencompassesthiscompassionforpeople,theenvironment,safetyandhealthallinone.CheckoutthisvideoofMabraathere:https://vimeo.com/147814862 Andjustforfun:here’sapictureofthewayIwoulddrinkcoffeeeverydayinEthiopia.Theyhaveaveryspecificcoffeeceremonywhentheymakecoffeeandit’ssuchanintegralpartoftheculture.ItmakesmesohappythatFairTradepracticesarebeingputintoplacewithincoffeegrowingregionsbecausenotonlywillitkeepEthiopianculturealive,itwillhelpthepeopleandensurethisdelicious,richcoffeenevergoesaway!J