South Asia Programme

Traidcraft has been trading with producer groups in the region for over 30 years and we began implementing large-scale development projects in South Asia in 1995. Today we’re still very active in the region, working to offer artisans, farmers and workers a sustainable route out of poverty.

Africa Programme

Traidcraft has been trading with producer groups in East Africa for more than 20 years and began development projects in the region in 1994. Today we’re still very active in the region and beginning to expand our work into West Africa as well.  Our programme is working to offer people here a sustainable route out of poverty.

Supporting Social Enterprises

Traidcraft’s trading company works with more than 50 craft and food producer groups across the developing world. All of these are social enterprises that have both social and business objectives.

The Supporting Social Enterprises programme is a joint initiative between Traidcraft’s charity and trading company. It has three main areas of activity:

1. Providing additional support to producer groups – helping them to become secure and profitable businesses. This in turn benefits whole communities because it creates more jobs, better food security and more money for local families to spend on their basic needs.
2. Establishing new supply chains for Fairtrade-certified products so that greater nunbers of disadvantaged producers can reap the benefits of fair trade.
3. Supporting social enterprises to adapt to climate change, minimise their ecological footprint, and reduce their vulnerability to future environmental impacts.

The Catalyst Programme

Before Traidcraft can launch the projects that support hundreds of thousands of poor producers, it’s vital that we carry out research. We need to find what the issues are and learn exactly what is keeping people trapped in poverty – so we can do something about it!

Our Catalyst Programme exists to fund this initial research stage – things like community meetings, interviews with men and women, specialist consultants and stakeholder meetings.

We use the information to guide our project planning and then we present it to large grant-makers (like the UK Government, or the European Commission) to secure wider funding. All this gives our projects firm foundations and means they have the best chance of solving real problems in developing countries.

Policy and Campaigns

Traidcraft’s policy team campaigns for change. We lobby governments, and work with businesses and institutions, to deliver policies that ensure a fairer deal for people in developing countries.

What we do:

• We conduct research and monitor developments in trade, investment and business practice.

• We lobby those with the power to make a difference.

• We encourage our supporters to campaign for change.
   

Working with partners from around the world, here are some of the things we have achieved:

• UK companies have to report publicly on their impact on local communities and the environment.

• Delayed the damaging trade agreements between Europe and some of the world's poorest countries.

• An independent watchdog was set up with the power to fine supermarkets for abusive practices towards their suppliers.