At AlterNativa3, in the current health crisis, we are closely monitoring the impact of this pandemic on the fair trade cooperatives with which we collaborate in countries of the global south.
AlterNativa3 soaps are handmade in India by the PALAM Rural Centre cooperative, formed by a group of Harijan families from the lowest caste of Indian society, also known as "the untouchables". The cooperative is located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
In the midst of this crisis, we have received direct news from Palam Rural Centre. Caroline Edmunds, a collaborator with the organisation, comments that the most impoverished people in India do not have access to healthcare, and so the cooperative is monitoring the potential impact on their communities and looking after the health and safety of its members. In addition, they have organised themselves to supply not only their members but also people in need who live in villages around Kempe Nagar, the region where they are located, by handing out packets of rice and 1,000 rupees (around €12) for other basic supply purchases.
India, with a population of more than 1.35 billion, is the second most populous country in the world. Of particular concern in the covid-19 crisis are the "hot spots" of infection: Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Jaipur and Calculta, where the outbreak is "especially dangerous" due to population density. Since March, the government has implemented various measures to deal with the situation, including compulsory confinement and social distancing and hygiene measures, among others.
The situation generated by covid-19 means, on the one hand, a major health crisis for India, due to the fact that the health system is deficient, with few hospital beds available in relation to the number of inhabitants, and on the other hand, an economic crisis, in a country in which a large part of the population, especially those from the lowest castes, live exclusively on their daily income and have no access to economic or social assistance, so that confinement means no income of any kind for many families.
At AlterNativa3, we are committed to Fair Trade as the most effective tool to change the reality of many people in countries in the global south.
You too can do your bit and contribute to a fairer and more sustainable world by choosing fair trade products.
