Thirty young members of Oxfam Club 2007 visited the Philippines this summer to witness the impact of fair trade on workers and farmers.
The secondary school students spent a week in Cebu interviewing people living in the slum area Ermita, visiting poor villagers in Danao and getting a first-hand look at the operations of fair-trade companies and communities.
'We enjoy cheap products, such as clothes, coffee beans and chocolate, due to exploitation at many levels in the trading process,' says Emily Li Nga-man, 15.
'Fair trade can ensure the rights of the workers are protected and that they earn a decent wage.'
The idea behind fair trade is to give disadvantaged farmers or producers direct access to markets and prevent their exploitation by middlemen.
It also means facilitating a safe work environment and making sure that farmers receive a fair price for their products.
