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‘Sign with Mary’ this Easter

17 March 2015

Cocoa farmer Mary is asking you to stand with her this Easter.  


The Salvation Army’s Freedom Partnership is an official partner with Fairtrade Australia and Stop The Traffik for their Easter campaign.

This year's campaign is asking Australians to “Sign with Mary”, a cocoa farmer from the Enchi district in the Western region of Ghana. She will be coming to Australia this Easter to stand with supporters as they sign the petition to ask major retailers to increase their Fairtrade Easter range in 2016.

"Australians consume a lot of chocolate, especially at Easter and Christmas. How many of us think about what it takes for such a delicious treat to make it all the way from West Africa to our local supermarket?” said Jenny Stanger, The Freedom Partnership National Manager.

The campaign came about after considerable amounts of feedback from consumers during the 2014 Easter season which showed major retailers weren’t stocking a selection of fairtrade products.

This year, thousands of activists from organisations, including Stop The Traffik, Fairtrade, Oaktree, Oxfam, World Vision, as well as churches and community groups are addressing the issue.

The Salvation Army’s Freedom Partnership, which launched in July last year, will officially partner with the Easter campaign for the first time.

“Fairtrade certification is the critical link between consumers like us and producers like Mary to ensure that hard working cocoa farmers can have a decent life. Every time you buy fairtrade- certified chocolate you are upholding basic human rights, empowering communities and rewarding ethical business practice. So, next time you are standing in the confectionary aisle, think carefully about the impact of your choice and your choices mean to someone like Mary."

Thankfully, Mary works under Fairtrade certification. Sadly though, many have a very different story to Mary.

For ways to take action this Easter and to ‘Sign with Mary’, go to endslavery.salvos.org.au/act/campaigns/signwithmary/

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