Lucky for us, Kristen Howerton, a mom of four and blogger at Rage Against the Minivan, has been blogging on this very topic for the past few weeks. (Side note: if you get a chance, watch this incredible video on her beautiful family and their adoption story.)

Here is an excerpt from Kristen’s post on ideas for an ethical Halloween:

For our family, the response to learning this has been to limit our chocolate purchases to fair-trade chocolate, which is a system that ensures that workers are paid and treated fairly. I believe that our purchases have the biggest impact on corporate change. The chocolate companies are well aware of the human rights abuses in the farms they are buying from, but unfortunately it is the profitability that is driving the ship, not ethics. I really do believe that consumers can change things. I think back ten years ago, when organic food was a fringe hippie thing that you could only by at specialty stores. Now, nearly every mainstream grocery store is producing their own line of organic foods. Consumer demand is what drives the market.

Kristen also makes an excellent point about kids and fair trade chocolate:

I’ve also heard people express concern that children will be disappointed with fair-trade chocolate. In my house, my kids are equal-opportunity chocolate lovers. Quite honestly, kids who stop by my house should be lucky they aren’t getting raisins and pencils, because I’ve so been THAT mom before. But if we’re making our purchasing decisions because we’re scared that a bunch of American kids might be disappointed because they can’t gorge themselves on chocolate made by children in Africa . . . there might be a problem with our priorities.

And, if you want to do more to promote fair-trade chocolate on Halloween night, Kristen suggests reverse trick-or-treating -– offering to give out fair-trade chocolate and a pamphlet as you go from door-to-door.

Kristen has a list of brands and tips on how to be fair trade this Halloween, so be sure to check out her entire blog post here for more information.

Happy Halloween!

Tenneh and me

The women of Made in Liberia, who were on both sides of the fighting during the civil war, now own and operate a business together. About 75 percent of Made in Liberia’s profits are used for community development projects, with the remaining 25 percent staying within the enterprise, allowing the women to build equity over time. Made in Liberia’s Right to Work program includes a 4-course curriculum intended to train women in entering the workforce, personal finance and job skills. Every graduate is guaranteed a full-time job at Made in Liberia, and an opportunity to save for their future. Made in Liberia’s Working Assets program encourages women to save by matching 100 percent of their savings for one year, enabling them to invest in major assets like land, education or starting a business.

Chid Liberty and the women of Made in Liberia

The women working at Made in Liberia were eager to tell me about their goals. Tenneh Bakana has been working at Made in Liberia for two years. On the “inspiration wall” (a wall filled with employee photos and their handwritten goals) and in our conversation, her motivation is apparent: her children. She wants her job at Made in Liberia to result in a better future for them. Many of the women here are mothers, victims of rape or abuse, working together for a unified and healed Liberia. In a feature on Made in Liberia filmed by CNN last year, Tenneh talked about her journey from victim to businesswoman. It’s hard to leave these amazing women in this little factory, humming with the sound of sewing machines. But I feel so lucky to have met them, and I know that they will succeed in building a better future for their children and their country.

The aim of Le Ndomo is to give young people — particularly those who may not have had a chance to go to school — a chance to build some technical expertise and to learn some valuable life skills, including responsibility, personal commitment and solidarity. But that’s not all. They also learn firsthand what it takes to run a prosperous business — from quality management and commercialization to successful marketing and investment.

All of their products are 100 percent cotton and eco-friendly, including their packaging. They make their dyes from bark, leaves and iron-rich mud, and it was amazing to see all the different variations and possibilities the dyes can create on cloth.

The work — spinning, weaving and decorating — is all done by hand. It takes years of training to learn, but the end result is amazing. I tried to make a design myself, but I think it’s better to leave it to the masters!

ONE’s sister organization, (RED), Converse and Hallmark have all worked with Le Ndomo, and it’s no secret as to why. The craftsmanship and attention to detail on all the products is nothing but amazing. More importantly, it was extremely uplifting and inspiring to watch the proud craftsmen take such pride in their work at their stations. I was so impressed with their artistry.

We’ve heard from a number of commentators as part of our Trade and Development blog series on the importance of helping Africa trade more with the US and with itself. Richard Gilbert of Business Action for Africa and Zenia Lewis of the Brookings Institute both talked about the need to bring down the barriers between countries and make trade quicker and easier. New research from the World Bank says trade between southern African countries accounts for just 10 percent of all their trade compared to 40 percent in North America.

Initiatives like AGOA and technical assistance from the Millennium Challenge Corporation can help build roads and improve communications — but the political will to open borders has to come from African governments themselves. They have been promising to do this for some time (they first committed to a Common Market for Africa at the Africa Union in 1970s) and have signed a myriad of overlapping free trade agreements among themselves (around 27 across the continent at the last count) but few tariffs have been eliminated and it still takes longer to transport goods between countries than practically anywhere else in the world.

This may be about to change though. In a neat follow up to the AGOA Summit, on June 12 African leaders launched talks to form the continent’s biggest free-trade bloc by integrating the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, The East African Community and the Southern African Development Community. This would create a market worth $875 billion across 26 countries and a combined population of 700 million people. It would bring together the continent’s most developed economies of South Africa and Egypt, and some of the most dynamic, such as Angola and Ethiopia and smaller landlocked countries like Rwanda and Burundi. Improving regional integration would in the longer term also help Africa to compete with other joined up markets such as the North America Free Trade Area, the European Union and emerging economies like China.

The proposed free trade area would be a first step in unraveling the “spaghetti bowl,” as it is sometimes called, of the overlapping trade blocs. However, it still won’t be an easy task as each group has different rules and some countries also belong to another trade group that is not part of the initiative. Negotiations will cover issues like streamlining border crossings and removing non-tariff barriers such as import bans and permits. For example, the South African grocery store Shoprite loses $500 a day for a truck delayed at a border post.

Jacob Zuma, the South African president, is a strong supporter of the initiative. At the launch he said “This is but one major step towards achieving economic freedom in our lifetime in the continent. We must also continue building an African continent that is united, and which is free of poverty, disease, deprivation and conflict.” It’s great to see the political will is emerging to tackle these issues. As any traveler will know, it’s no fun being stuck at customs — and while it’s simply an inconvenience for us it can mean the difference between making a profit or loss for Africa traders.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and romantics around the globe are busy thinking about how to celebrate.

Many choose to express their love for each other by giving flowers, chocolates and gifts. But whatever we do on this day, just like the other 364 in the year, we can also have a real impact on the lives of millions of other people around the world.

So how can you celebrate love and romance on February 14, and help fight extreme poverty at the same time?

Flowers

What can be more romantic than a bouquet of beautiful red roses for that special person in your life? Thankfully you can make sure that the flowers you buy also bring joy to more than just your loved one.

One of the best ways is to look for flowers with the Fairtrade Mark. Fairtrade offers you a powerful way to reduce poverty through your every day shopping. It provides a better deal and improved terms of trade for producers, which in turn allows them the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future.

You can also order flowers with ONE’s sister organization (RED). (RED) has so far generated over $160 million for the Global Fund to help eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 2015. All arrangements from Flowe(RED) are composed of ethically-sourced flowers and profits go to helping those living with HIV in Africa so that they can continue caring for their families and contribute socially and economically to their communities. The bouquets are stunning too!

Chocolates

The key ingredient in chocolate is cocoa, a product that an estimated 14 million people in the developing world depend on for their livelihoods. It’s an incredibly important natural resource, and in some countries, such as Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, 90 percent of farmers rely on it for their primary income.

As with flowers, Fair trade makes a real difference. But don’t take my word for it, just listen to these farmers in Ghana:

And with a range of tasty Fair trade chocolates available, you are spoilt for choice! Most supermarkets also stock fairly traded chocolate now. So just ask your local store or visit you’re the website of your local fair trade organization to see what’s available near you.

Other gifts

Organizations such as Oxfam provide a range of beautiful gifts for the special person in your life. Ethically-sourced, they benefit both the producer and the organizations’ work making them a perfect present for that special person in your life!

Whatever you are planning for Valentine’s Day, we hope you have a wonderful time. And do a little bit of good on the side with our easy suggestions. If you have other great ideas, post them below.

Entrepreneur Tal Dehitar’s two-year-old business, Oliberte, is booming. Selling high-quality casual shoes, Oliberte has gone from selling a mere 200 pairs of shoes in 2009 to a projected 18,000 in this year alone. Most would consider this a huge accomplishment in itself, but what makes Oliberte such a success story is that it is the first international company to market shoes made entirely in Africa.

Dehitar is bringing much-needed help to an almost scarce African middle class -– Oliberte currently employs around six workers in Ethiopia and will expand this year to train and employ up to 50 workers in Liberia. Dehitar also makes sure that his workers are given proper treatment.

“We make sure they pay at minimum the minimum wage with the understanding that as we grow as a company, they’re committed to improving their conditions, whether it’s through [initiatives such as] health insurance programs … now all the factories provide maternity leave programs to all the women,” said Dehitar in a recent CNN story.

Canadian-born Dehitar is intent on making people see Africa as a continent with some major manufacturing potential. His concept is simple: do good while living well. “If you want to pay people right, if you want to treat them with respect, use good product, then come to Africa,” he said.

And consumers seem to be in agreement. At the PROJECT trade show in New York City — a showcase for clothing brands across the world — buyers from trendy stores like Urban Outfitters and high-end boutiques showed great interest in Oliberte’s products.

Andrew Pollard, an industry expert, said that “What [Dehitar] is doing is he’s forging new ground. Where most people in the industry would never even know that Africa is a viable place to manufacture, he’s showing that it is.”

A entrepreneur with a conscience, Dehitar is successfully proving Africa’s manufacturing potential. Here at ONE, we are excited to see where Oliberte will go and how it will hopefully inspire others to think more globally.

Twenty years ago, the hyacinth, a lovely purple blooming water weed, was brought to Lake Victoria — the largest body of water in Africa — from outside the ecosystem. Doubling in size every 15 days, it quickly became an invasive species. The plant flourished on the lake’s pollution and grew to such an extent that it began blocking the local fisherfolks’ access to the water and choking the lake’s tilapia population.

In attempt to eradicate the species and restore the livelihoods of fishermen, the World Bank contracted a company, the Swamp Devils, to mechanically cut and clear the weeds around key ports. While their work allows for fishing boats to pass in and out of the ports, it is expensive, weeds quickly grow back and the dead weeds floating in the water continue to pose a problem for marine life.

But the hyacinth can be harvested by hand and used to make a variety of products. Local organizations on the banks of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda — the countries bordering Lake Victoria — began exploring these possibilities, creating jobs while keeping the weed in check. It can be used to make gas, animal fodder and a sturdy rope –- a rope so strong that it can be made into walking bridges across the river.

Local artisans and organizations also make it into a variety of crafts: cards, paper, lampshades, sturdy furniture, baskets, footwear, string, handbags, mats, etc. As a result, jobs have been created in harvesting, processing and craft-making.

Since the weed grows at an alarming rate, efforts to control the weed need to be scaled up. In an effort to broaden the impact of the craft-related activities, the Kisumu Innovation Center — Kenya (KICK), an NGO, and Hyacinth Crafts, a small business, joined forces. Since then, they have they worked to develop a sustainable business model utilizing the weeds, and their products are sold on the Internet through retailers like Afrika Pamoja and in fair trade storefronts like Ten Thousand Villages.

Learn more about fair trade through the Fair Trade Federation.

Last week, experts on U.S.-African trade met at the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum to discuss its progress since it was signed into law in 2000.

AGOA gives beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries preferential access to U.S. markets by allowing many products from these countries to be imported duty free. International trade is essential for development in Africa, and AGOA offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to grow economically by exporting more to the U.S.

In the past ten years, AGOA has made progress in fostering U.S. trade with Africa. Currently, 38 countries are eligible to participate in AGOA. As Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) noted in the AGOA Civil Society Forum two weeks ago, “AGOA’s been a great success … it’s time to celebrate.” The Act has promoted new trade and investment, and it has created some 300,000 jobs in Africa. AGOA is also helping to create new markets in the U.S.

However, as Sen. Cardin also noted, several challenges still remain. For example, most of the increase in trade has been with oil and gas products, and AGOA has had a very limited impact on agricultural products. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said at the AGOA Forum last week, “Despite the best of intentions, AGOA has achieved only modest results and has not lived up to the highest hopes of a decade ago.”

There are many obstacles, but AGOA offers many opportunities as well. If necessary reforms such as broadening product coverage and simplifying eligibility rules are implemented, AGOA could help millions of Africans lift themselves out of poverty. AGOA can continue to foster reforms in African economies, provide technical support, and build platforms for dialogue. Hopefully, the AGOA Forum will continue to provide new insights and opportunities for advancing trade relations with Africa.

For more information on AGOA, please see ONE’s issue brief.

- Nathan Cole, global policy intern, ONE

You can read more about Ben & Jerry’s going fair trade here.

I just returned from Ghana where Divine Chocolate held its February board meeting. Whenever I make this trip, I’m always struck by the difference between what chocolate means to a cocoa farmer—and what it means to the rest of us.

On Valentine’s Day, chocolate is more than just a sign of affection. Chocolate helps us celebrate our best human trait—our capacity to love others.

But what does chocolate mean to a cocoa farmer in Ghana? If they’re a member of Kuapa Kokoo (the fair trade farmers cooperative that co-owns the Divine Chocolate brand), chocolate means no cheating.

It means not being cheated by cocoa buyers and traders, as cooperative members are well-versed in their rights as farmers.

It means not being cheated out of a better life and a brighter future. As the very first Fair Trade cocoa cooperative, Kuapa Kokoo has worked hard to not only better the lives of other farmers, but to strengthen other sectors as well—schools, health care, training programs, water.

It means not being cheated out of their say in the chocolate market. Since the farmers of Kuapa own their own brand, they can tell chocolate lovers about their hard work, their pride, their struggles, their triumphs. They can also articulate why trade terms are unfair and help mobilize the community to bring about change.

You may have noticed a lot of buzz in recent months with big brands offering more Fair Trade products, including Cadbury, Nestle and Green & Blacks. This is great news and should be celebrated. But so much more needs to be done. Smallholder cocoa farmers are still very poor in a very rich industry. Dignity, equality and fair partnerships with consumers and businesses must also be a priority. So let’s not just support ethical products, but businesses with ethical missions and a commitment to farmer empowerment, too.

-Erin Gorman, Divine Chocolate USA