March 8 International Women's Day

March 8 - International Women's Day

The world is not equal.
Gender equality is a major global justice issue.
Being a Fair Trade organization, La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE takes clear position in words and actions to give more power and opportunities to women.
About 75% of the artisans who manufacture the goods in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE assortment are women. Those who are responsible for producer group; responsible for receiving loans and deliver the goods, are women or woman together with a man. The only exception is a hat studio where all the four active are men. The overall coordination in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE is carried out by women.
Disbursements of loans provide concrete economic power and opportunities for women.
At the same time a great responsibility.
The women have been found to be very creditworthy; La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE has, after over 20 years of business, no losses from artisans who have received loans but not delivered. Considering the conditions that often prevail on Madagascar (infrastructure that is lacking, frequent cyclones) this is impressive.
Another, more important reason to give financial responsibility and authority to women is that they invest in the future. Experience in La Maison Afrique FAIR TRADE shows that the income from the craft often is used for the children's university education, improvement of family housing, etc welfare.
With their earnings, the female artisans give social welfare to their family and community - something that is extremely poor, politically unstable country state often is unable to do.