Iona students speak up about Fair Trade Chocolate
Students at Iona Presentation College are encouraged to speak up about issues relating to social justice and take an active role in serving those who are less fortunate.
Having recently learned about Fair Trade Chocolate, the Year 7 Kildare Homeroom students decided to take action.
Fair Trade Chocolate is made from ingredients sourced from fair and slavery free environments. Sadly, there are many chocolate companies that obtain their ingredients from environments in which workers are exploited. Children as young as 12 pick the cocoa beans, some of these children are trafficked and most work in dangerous conditions.
The group discussed the fact that a local supermarket did not stock fair trade Easter eggs. The girls wrote a letter to the manager and later met with him to discuss the issue.
The girls did a great job at articulating why they felt this was an important issue. The Manager of the supermarket was very interested in what the girls had to say and commented that he would see what he could do for next year, thanking the girls for their efforts.