01/05/2020
SWIFT EMERGENCY SUPPORT
Date: 1 May 2020
I hope this finds you all well. Sorry, no birthday bash this year, locked-down and more serious stuff to deal with.
You will know that my passion is Fair Trade. It is a way of including some of the poorest communities in the world into international economic activity and celebrating craft skills and cultures. The “trade not aid” mantra helps to make these marginal activities self-sustaining in normal circumstances.
Today, the impact of Covid-19 is having a serious impact for these supplier communities across the globe.
I have heard from Julie Nixon at SWIFT, the Fair Trade producer group in Swaziland (now eSwatini), who explained the likely impact for her members, and that external support is required to get them through this crisis and prevent starvation.
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She indicates that ideally 2 support funds are needed:
- An emergency food aid fund. I suggest that this should be initially of £3,000
- An income support fund of £10 per member household per month. With 2,000 in this cohort this equates to £20,000 per month.
To address the first area a Just Giving site is now established under the reference www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/swift-glenn-hutchinson
To address the second area we will be approaching UK Government departments, Corporate sponsors, Charities with an African mandate and private individuals.
Here at Eachday Trading and Danaqa we have been privileged to work with the gifted and warm-hearted people at SWIFT and their members (Zoggs, Tintsaba, Imvelo Eswatini, Sukumani, Kholi Designs, Ban-twa-na, Tsandza and others) over the past 4 years and we hope that we can keep them safe and well. All Danaqa sales income in May 2020 will be donated to the cause.
Your support is appreciated. Please do not hesitate to contact me upon any aspect of this letter.
Kind regards, yours faithfully
Glenn Hutchinson
Eachday Trading Co & Danaqa
Trading styles of Eachday Shared Ltd
[email protected]
Suite 2b, 11 Canalside Ironworks, Hope Mill Lane,
Brimscombe, Stroud, Glos GL5 2SH
Tel. 07803 179260 e-mail. [email protected]
Weʼre raising money to Support SWIFT (the Fair Trade Producer Group) in Swaziland in their Emergency Food Aid Programme caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.
