Our Purpose
While Australians live in prosperity, 1.2 billion people around the world are still living in extreme poverty. With slavery, lack of access to education and supply chain corruption rampant in the world, it is easy to lose hope. But we believe we are called to bring hope to the hopeless and bring about a more just world.
Many of us are disconnected from the products we purchase and unaware that our actions as consumers actually have a direct impact on the livelihoods of people living in poor communities. Every day, large organisations prey on our lack of awareness, using unethical methods of production, such as slavery and child labour, to produce items which maximise their profit on the backs of the people they exploit. Without humbly opening our eyes and our hearts to the reality of the role we play in inequality, we will never be moved to act.
The good news is that many Australians are beginning to understand supply chain injustice and are taking action as consumers through Fair Trade. Uplift Fair Trade provides education and empowerment to Churches, individuals and community groups about the importance of ethical business operations and Fair Trade certification systems.
Uplift Fair Trade products are free from slavery and exploitation, promote human rights and provide secure employment and dignity to our artisans, and access to healthcare and education to their families. Uplift Fair Trade is bringing fullness of life to people living in poverty.
Ethical - Working with Artisan Partners in India, Nepal and The Philippines Producing and selling products in a way that has a positive impact on People and Planet.
Empowerment- Uplifting disadvantaged artisans through trade, creating dignity and hope. Focusing on giving sustainable livihoods to people with a disability, women’s empowerment groups, women living in slums, people who have come out of trafficking.
Fair Trade- Actively working towards best practice of all 10 Fair Trade principles. Endorsed by the Fair Trade association in Australia as a “Fair Trader of Australia"
Uplift Fair Trade supports Fair Trade by;
Education on ethical purchasing. Uplift Fair Trade aims to educate and empower organisations and everyday Australians with information to help them make better consumer choices that ensure an ethical supply chain. We educate and empower groups to understand supply chains and create purchasing habits that make a positive difference in the lives of people who produce the products we use. We can also bring our Uplift portable shop to your Fair Trade event so you can take direct action as consumers by purchasing products that have been ethically sourced.
Empowerment through trade. Uplift Fair Trade buys products and handicrafts directly from Fair Trade organisations and sells them at our portable shop. We do not buy on consignment, we pay the asking price direct to the seller at the time of purchase. This provides a reliable income for our suppliers who can sell their products internationally as well as in their local market. A portion of the money we pay Fair Trade organisations is set aside to help up-skill and empower producers, such as through education and training about saving schemes and financial management. Another portion goes towards development projects that benefit the artisans’ whole community. You can learn more about the Fair Trade organisations we partner with on our Our Projects Page.