EXTRADT FROM PEOPLE FOR FAIR TRADE “ AUSTRALIA NEWSLETTER ” OF JULY 2006.
“Dilmah tea, which you will find in your supermarket shelves, promotes itself as an ‘ethical’ tea. Their main support for this claim is that they produce a tea which is processed and packaged in Sri Lanka, where the tea is grown. This ensures that more of the economic benefit from the product goes to the country where the tea is actually grown. In addition, its founder Merrill J Fernando has established a charitable foundation that supports a number of projects, including projects aimed at improving the lives of workers in the tea plantation where Dilmah’s tea is grown.
We at PFFT place high value on products where the value adding takes place in the country of origin – we believe this is the key to economic development in countries highly reliant on commodities for their income. For this reason, we applaud Dilmah’s emphasis on selling value added tea. Likewise, utilising some of their profits for improving the living standards of their workers is commendable. Our only criticism is that from our research, however, we were unable to find out just what percentage of their income or profit is set aside for community development projects. We’d also like to learn more about the working conditions in their tea plantations. Perhaps they will reveal more of this kind of information as time progresses.”
Dilmah websites, stated above, are updated regularly.
17th September 2008
The combined impact of large scale urban migration and the poverty of the migrants have created slums in Colombo, where poor hygiene, crime and other social, economic and environmental problems result in severe deprivation. Children living in these slums suffer most, being deprived of the right to a normal childhood, education, affection and the joys that make every childhood special. The MJF Foundation sought to address some of these problems in the worst affected areas and initiated a partnership with P.E.A.C.E. (Protecting Environment and Children Everywhere), an organisation that has fought against exploitation of children since 1991. Resulting from this partnership, children in five centres were given the opportunity to escape their underprivileged situation. They were nurtured in the MJF-PEACE Centres and encouraged in learning and playing on a weekly basis through free English classes, lessons in various vocational skills like cookery and sewing.
The success of this programme evolved in March 2008, with the MJF Kids programme. The MJF Foundation established two MJF Kids Centres at its two suburban Colombo premises, in Peliyagoda and Maligawatte. 120 urban slum children benefit from the MJF Kids programme currently. These children survive under difficult circumstances of physical and emotional deprivation, making a normal and secure childhood an impossible feat. Their almost daily sessions at the MJF Kids Centres offer them solace and learning in a caring environment.
The MJF Kids gather at one of two centres for guidance by teachers in art, craft, leadership and vocational training like sewing. The teachers include volunteer Dilmah personnel who conduct science and English classes. The MJF Kids are assisted in their school curriculum with Computer training, English, science and mathematics. The children also receive training in essential life skills and are provided much needed psychosocial support in order to overcome the constraints of their deprived backgrounds. The MJF Kids programme aims to help inspire hope and realise the potential in urban slum children in spite of their hopeless situation.
Art is not only a means of expression but also an important therapeutic tool for children and the MJF Kids are encouraged to voice their hopes and dreams in this creative form. Taking this creative expression further, the Foundation introduced a novel concept for the children by giving each of them a camera, thereby providing these children - for many this was their first experience with a camera the opportunity to capture and share their world with others. This is a part of the Voice of the MJF Kids project which seeks to help children understand important concepts such as peace, ethnic harmony, the environment and the heritage of their Sri Lanka through their creative involvement in a Journal Voice of the MJF Kids, which will be published for them by the MJF Foundation. This will give them the opportunity to make their opinions count, and share their creativity with people around the world via the online version of Voice of the MJF Kids.
For more information about the MJF Charitable Foundation programmes please visit
www.mjffoundation.org
IS DILMAH TEA FAIR?
“Dilmah tea, which you will find in your supermarket shelves, promotes itself as an ‘ethical’ tea. Their main support for this claim is that they produce a tea which is processed and packaged in Sri Lanka, where the tea is grown. This ensures that more of the economic benefit from the product goes to the country where the tea is actually grown. In addition, its founder Merrill J Fernando has established a charitable foundation that supports a number of projects, including projects aimed at improving the lives of workers in the tea plantation where Dilmah’s tea is grown.
We at PFFT place high value on products where the value adding takes place in the country of origin – we believe this is the key to economic development in countries highly reliant on commodities for their income. For this reason, we applaud Dilmah’s emphasis on selling value added tea. Likewise, utilising some of their profits for improving the living standards of their workers is commendable. Our only criticism is that from our research, however, we were unable to find out just what percentage of their income or profit is set aside for community development projects. We’d also like to learn more about the working conditions in their tea plantations. Perhaps they will reveal more of this kind of information as time progresses.”
Dilmah websites, stated above, are updated regularly.
17th September 2008
The MJF Kids: hope amidst hopelessness, building the dreams of a future generation
The combined impact of large scale urban migration and the poverty of the migrants have created slums in Colombo, where poor hygiene, crime and other social, economic and environmental problems result in severe deprivation. Children living in these slums suffer most, being deprived of the right to a normal childhood, education, affection and the joys that make every childhood special. The MJF Foundation sought to address some of these problems in the worst affected areas and initiated a partnership with P.E.A.C.E. (Protecting Environment and Children Everywhere), an organisation that has fought against exploitation of children since 1991. Resulting from this partnership, children in five centres were given the opportunity to escape their underprivileged situation. They were nurtured in the MJF-PEACE Centres and encouraged in learning and playing on a weekly basis through free English classes, lessons in various vocational skills like cookery and sewing.
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The success of this programme evolved in March 2008, with the MJF Kids programme. The MJF Foundation established two MJF Kids Centres at its two suburban Colombo premises, in Peliyagoda and Maligawatte. 120 urban slum children benefit from the MJF Kids programme currently. These children survive under difficult circumstances of physical and emotional deprivation, making a normal and secure childhood an impossible feat. Their almost daily sessions at the MJF Kids Centres offer them solace and learning in a caring environment.
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Art is not only a means of expression but also an important therapeutic tool for children and the MJF Kids are encouraged to voice their hopes and dreams in this creative form. Taking this creative expression further, the Foundation introduced a novel concept for the children by giving each of them a camera, thereby providing these children - for many this was their first experience with a camera the opportunity to capture and share their world with others. This is a part of the Voice of the MJF Kids project which seeks to help children understand important concepts such as peace, ethnic harmony, the environment and the heritage of their Sri Lanka through their creative involvement in a Journal Voice of the MJF Kids, which will be published for them by the MJF Foundation. This will give them the opportunity to make their opinions count, and share their creativity with people around the world via the online version of Voice of the MJF Kids.
For more information about the MJF Charitable Foundation programmes please visit
www.mjffoundation.org
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