A Pathway to Fair Trade in Palestine

Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans

• The idea of BFTA was conceived back in 2009 after a series of interviews with many artisans who have great products but lack the skills to market their products and reach outside markets.

• Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans seeks to help our Artisans by equipping them with the knowledge, financial backing and market access needed to achieve fair prices, ensure their livelihood and revitalize this historic industry.

Why BFTA

To develop the Palestinian handicraft economy into a sustainable source of income for artisans and their families and to promote fair trade principles throughout Palestine by responding directly to the needs of local artisans

Our Mission

Our GoalsTo promote fair trade principles

throughout PalestineTo connect our local artisans to

global marketsTo identify and overcome

obstacles that prevent local artisans from achieving economic security

To provide special support to marginalized artisans, especially women, refugees, and the disabled

To offer artisans educational and development opportunities

Economic isolation significantly hinders participation in the global economy

Decreases in tourism due to political strife directly harm the handicraft sector

Many artisans don’t know their rights to fair prices and a healthy work environment

Many artisans need further education in order to diversify their products, improve their business skills, and learn to communicate with tourists in English

Marginalized artisans, including women, refugees, and the disabled, struggle to turn their handicraft into a sustainable source of income

Obtaining raw materials. Middlemen issues.

Challenges Palestinian Artisans Face

If tourists don’t come to us, we bring our products to them. So Fair Trading (which benefited many producers so far, and we continue to aim bigger)

If we educate our artisans about fair trade and the rights that come along with being a part of it, we will begin to make a noticeable difference in our world.

If we continue to offer artisans courses such as English, Design, Computer skills; it will enable them to talk for themselves.

If we can help in obtaining their raw materials, artisans will be able to cut down costs and thus sell more.

Practices ………....

Palestinian Handicrafts

BFTA artisans create a variety of historically and culturally rich products:Olivewood CarvingsMother of PearlRecycled GlassRecycled PaperEmbroidery CeramicsBlown GlassOlive Oil SoapHandmade JewelryGlass PaintingsFelt Wool

Development And Fair Trade Practices

Embroidery Finishing and

Color Mixing in Jenin and Al-

Ma’sara

Embroidery done by women

Basket Weaving Training in Nablus

English Trainings For Beginners in

Bethlehem

Advanced IT course

Women Beading a Better Future

Field visits 2009-2010 World Fair Trade day in 2012 World Fair Trade day in 2013 “Fair Trade, Fair Peace” “Buy Local, Buy Fair Trade” in 2014 Fair Trade Principles Conference

Insight about our fair trade activities

Buy Local, Buy Fair Trade EventYou are in Palestine !

World Fair Trade DayIn May 2012 and

May 2013, BFTA and local partners hosted a celebration of World Fair Trade Day in Bethlehem

Attendees had the opportunity to meet artisans directly and learn about fair trade

Fair Trade, Fair Peace is a project funded by the EU that BFTA pursues with local and international partners

Through this project, we have identified over 200 Palestinian producers that would benefit from training and development

Trainings are focused on helping artisans’ businesses develop into sustainable sources of income for both themselves and their families

Through Fair Trade, Fair Peace, BFTA has offered workshops to help artisans diversify products and learn English

The Fair Trade, Fair Peace Project

As a part of the Fair Trade, Fair Peace project, BFTA co-hosted a conference on fair trade principles on April 27th 2013

The conference was held a the Alternative Information Center in Beit-Sahour town

Many local organizations had the chance to present and to learn from others about fair trade, business management and the environment in general

This contributed to BFTA’s work to expand fair trade principles in Palestine

Fair Trade Principles Conference

Fair Trade Principles Conference

Health

Environment

Fair Prices

Alternative and Fair Trade Tourism

To further promote our artisans’ products, and to put a face to those products.

Bringing our customers closer to our producers.

It enables customers to meet the artisans and buy directly from them.

And BFTA continues to improve..

Peer VisitInternal Monitoring SystemAudit visit and reportingWhich aimed at educating BFTA’s staff

as well as our producers about Fair Trade and it’s principles. How to be really fair.

Problems, concerns, & recommendationsHealth-wise, we are concerned for the Olive

wood and MOP jewelry workshop conditionsEconomical situation; liquidity

issues SAR reportsRecommendationsWFTO to present one official letter to be

used by all members upon finishing of the requirements

WFTO to support jointly in creating a healthy and safe working environment

Caring for the environment is caring for our producersWe need to supply workshops with the

necessary equipment like ventilations. WFTO is urged to assist us in providing

our producers with a better working environment.

Caring for the environment begins with caring for our working conditions first.

Health and safety first and foremost.

Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans, Milk Grotto Street, Bethlehem, P.O. Box 248

www.bethlehemfairtrade.orginfo@bethlehemfairtrade.org00972-2-2750365

Contact Us!