It is posible to show solidarity with the needy within the frame of a secondary school. Every action we start is work it: the Race against Hunger, the sale of a calendar or any other little gesture.
Fair trade coffee
Two years ago, when we were in "5eme ", we were learning about fair trade, with the example of coffee trade. There was a self-service coffee machine in the staff room. We asked the teachers if they would agree to play a little more to get fair trade coffee n the machine. As their answer was positive, we went (with one teacher) to see the coffee machine sales manager in order to request fair trade coffee to be sold in it. It was the first time that sucks a request had been made to him. But he was instanly interesed in it, as it allowed him to add a new product to his catalogue.
We also calculated how many plastic cups were used every year in this machine. We were amazed when we realized that this one machine used 12 000 plastics cups a year! So we asked for the possibility to remove the disposable cups from the machine and to replace them by individual cups that the teachers provide. The machine tehnician told us that it was possible to do, thanks to a simple modification of the distributor. It was indeed possible to install an option with or without plastics cup, wich also allowed to slightly reduce the price of the coffee. The Headmaster, Mr Eloy, congratulated us for our initiative.
Finally, fair trade coffee started being sold in our school staff room with a price increase of 5 centimes per cup of coffee. Such little gestures, repeted 100, 1000, 1000 000 times can contribute to improve the daily life of thousands of farmers in the countries of the South.
Ana barbier, Ane Fernandez
