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Fairtrade - another angle

Case Study
The story of Mary Ineko

Kenyan born Mary, one of eleven children to God fearing parents, is now about 55, Mary’s not too sure, was more than happy when Independence from British Colonial rule came along. Her two guiding lights throughout her life were that she was taught that freedom was all important and fearing of God a sure way to enter the pearly gates of heaven when she was called. She recalls the day when Independence was declared and everyone celebrated the new dawning of a new country. All would be rosy now, they were in charge of their own destiny.

Every Sunday, without fail, she would don her one and only best dress and dutifully yet willingly trot along behind her parents to the outdoor church, take her place on the rickety wooden benches and sit for three hours in the baking East African sun where she would listen intently to the fire and brimstone from the visiting minister, taking in every word as if it truly came from the mouth of God.

Mary received a reasonable education, she was one of the lucky ones, her father, Isaac, had a better than mediocre post in the new government and so all the surviving children had some education. We say surviving as three of the eleven children did not reach the age of 4. No-one really knows why, but it was accepted that God had called them and that was sufficient.

Mary left school, aged about 16 she thinks, and thanks to her dad, managed to get a job in the nearby government office working for the local member of parliament. She was just a filing clerk to start with and received what we would describe as a pittance but it was another income for the home. She gave half of her money every week to her mom and the other half she gave to the church. Many people did the same in their households.

After about four or so years as a filing clerk one of the secretaries to the minister unexpectedly died and Mary successfully applied for the vacant post. Although Mary was sad for the family of the late secretary she thanked God for her opportunity, she had moved up in the world, increasing her kudos and receiving a larger wage. She continued to divide it equally between her mom and the church. Later the same year, a new minister took over the local parish and after about six months or so she was asked by the church minister, Abraham, if she would care to “walk out”. She asked her father if this was appropriate and was given chaperoned approval. She was happy with her lot and romance blossomed, resulting in Mary marrying the minister, after about 10 months of “walking out” in 1973. It was a massive wedding, limousines, huge guest list, large outdoor buffet feast, photographs at the local Norfolk Hotel, the best in Nairobi, marquee in the church grounds and after a brief honeymoon in Naivasha, where Mary gave up her virginity to her new husband, she took up residence in the church rectory.

Within a couple of years Mary became pregnant but miscarried. They continued to try and she miscarried twice more. They were destined not to have their own children. However, Mary believed that God had so ordained that she was not to bear children and so they stopped trying. Mary immersed herself in the work for the now re-elected minister and for work with the church.

Her two ministers were successful, one a cabinet member and Abraham the pastor. Twenty or so years now pass, as in the blink of an eye. Her cabinet minister changes five times but Mary stays on working for each new one. She remains married and faithful to Abraham. Not so with Abraham who takes himself two more wives, each younger and prettier than the previous one, but again Mary is content, she remains number 1 wife and the other two bear sons for Abraham. All is contentment in Mary’s own Garden of Eden.

During 2001, she is called into a meeting at work to take notes. The meeting is between the author of this piece and the cabinet minister. There is only the three of them at the meeting. The topic for discussion is fairtrade coffee and its export to the west. Mary recalls that the meeting seemed to go well and both sides were declaring their intentions to help those less fortunate to receive a proper wage and pay for their work. Mary was happy for it seemed to her that those less fortunate can be helped. Towards the end of the meeting her minister indicated to Mary to stop writing. She dutifully sat with pencil laid flat on her pad, knees together, bolt upright, staring straight forward.

Her minister then said “and of course, each export must be accompanied by a contribution to my local charity”,
“what sort of contribution” I asked
“normally 10%” was the reply
There was silence in the room for a few moments, I remember looking at Mary and her expression was unchanged but there was something in those eyes akin to fear and sadness intermixed,
“but we are already returning money for social development, replanting, care of the grounds and providing more money for the producers” I replied
“It’s the way it works here” the minister went on “ you want your export licences and I want 10%” there was a pause and he added “for my local charity of course” the wry smile was sickening.
I said I would have to think about it and the meeting ended. Mary showed me out and returned to the ministers office.
She remembers excusing herself before she asked the minister what local charity he was on about, she couldn’t remember him having any association with one, “Mary, don’t ask questions of me” was the reply.

She finished off her day and returned home to tell Abraham, she was concerned and needed reassurance from her husband and she needed those precious private minutes with God. The reply she got from her husband was stunning. Abraham told her that it was the way it works here. If you have power you use it firstly to benefit yourself and when you have enough then you can benefit others. This was a bombshell in her well ordered world. It was grotesque and dirty, to be shunned and shied away from, bury one’s head and don’t think about it. She had read about such things in the newspapers but surely it could not touch her manicured world. Not here, not now.
She recalls sitting quietly for the rest of the evening, numb.

That evening her prayers were very private where she asked God for an explanation. In the morning she woke with a clarity of vision, she knew what she had to do. She went off to work as usual. She was not a hero but she always sought the truth.

During the course of the day she went through some old records for her existing cabinet minister. Each time someone entered her office she would close the files in such a way as they could not be seen. She remembers calculating that if 10% of each contract had been paid just to the existing minister over the past 3 years his “own charity” would have benefited to the tune of $18million. There were of course no records of any sums paid.

Mary was in a dilemma, what should she do? Her first thought was about freedom, people were still starving in the northern parts of Kenya, due to a poor rainfall and hence poor crops and yet her minister has amassed a very large fortune for himself and not one shilling for those dying of starvation.

She returned home once again seeking solace and truth by talking with Abraham and seeking his guidance. He had guided her since their very first stolen kiss all those years ago. She believed in him. He would know what to do.

She explained what she had discovered. Mary recalls that Abraham sat silent for a few moments before taking her by the hand and leading her into his office at the back of the house. She sat where she was told and Abraham produced a ledger from the Victorian safe that only he had the key to and never left his possession, Mary had never before seen inside the safe nor known the door to be open in anyone’s presence.

“Take a look” Abraham handed her the ledger
“What is it?” Mary enquired
“Our records of all funds donated to the church”
Mary flicked through to the last page, there were pages and pages of entries, all dated, all with amounts and all with incoming and outgoing.
“What does it represent” she asked
Abraham stood by her side and pointing to the first entry on the last page he worked his way across the left hand page saying
“That’s money we get from donations from the Sunday plate, that’s donations weekly from peoples wages, that’s donations monthly from peoples wages, that’s bequests when people die and leave money for the church, that is your income that you give to me each month and that is the total”
Moving his finger to the right hand page he went on, “that’s the money we take for our household running, that is the 10% I donate to the bishop, that is the money I keep for a rainy day, and that is the total I have in the banks”
Mary was awestruck. The figure in the bottom right hand column was in excess of $1million.
“What about church things that are paid for, donations to help the poor, new school block we built last year”
“We don’t pay for that, we get other gift aid either from mother church or NGO’s or from the community”

Mary fell silent. Her mind in turmoil. It was oddly kind of nice to know that they were rich but yet she had a problem with it. All those years she had gone without when she gave her mom half her earnings and the other half to the church and she knew many of her friends did the same thing and now their children were doing it. She got up to leave but Abraham caught her arm, “I told you”, he said, “It’s the way it works here. At every opportunity you must look after yourself first and others second”
“Even if I can accept that premise, where is the looking after the other’s second?” Mary asked
“When we have enough” Abraham replied
Mary’s look was enough of an answer to that.
Mary went to her room, it was solely hers now as Abraham very rarely visited her of an evening anymore and was left with her thoughts.

The next day, Mary rang me and, arranging to meet during her lunch hour, she told me her story. There was deep sadness in her eyes, she had clearly been crying. On completion of her recollections I asked her what she wanted to do about it. She shrugged, “What can I do?” she went on “In my heart I know it’s wrong, Independence was to give all Kenyans freedom and a chance to earn a fair wage, they never had a chance, all the money goes into the pockets of corrupt politicians, (Kenyans call corruption ‘grafting’) and even the church and my own husband are caught up in it, a minister before God, would you believe”

“You should do something” I uselessly suggested
Mary shook her head, “there is nothing I can do, I have no power”
“report your boss to the anti-corruption commission” I suggested
Mary gave a small laugh, “My minister is the one the director of the anti-corruption commission report to, he then reports to the cabinet” she went on “I have to wait for the day of reckoning, I have to live my life and do all I can to make things better for others but I can only do that if I keep my job and I keep my husband and that means keeping quiet about what I know.”
We sat quietly, me staring at Mary wondering what I could suggest, Mary looking out of the window, holding back tears and biting her bottom lip.

To this day Mary has done nothing about it outwardly and I cannot condemn her for that. She is a woman without power in a mans world and yet she works tirelessly in the community helping others where she can. She is a good woman with a heavy burden.

At that lunchtime moment with Mary I saw her dilemma and in fact the dilemma for all emerging nations from the “south”. Independence and freedom from colonialism is essential as is freedom to vote, but how can you stop the corruption that comes with total power.

That answer is far from simple but I will try to express my beliefs.

1. By directly financially improving the lot of the artisans and bypassing those in power we start to close the gap between the “have’s” and “have not’s”. Fairtrade principles are worthy but can still be corrupted, we can never succumb, find another way, as I did with the coffee. I did not pay the politician. I never will.
2. New generation fairtrade is part of that solution. Move swiftly to applying fairtrade authority to many more products particularly in the field of non-food.
3. Don’t expect to change the mind of those in power, there is no reason why anyone would worsen their own financial position even for the benefit of their fellow countrymen and women, just bypass them. Just try to keep them in check until momentum and tide change.
4. Show the younger generation that fairtrade is not just a word. It stands for so much more. Fairtrade must form part of education. If they grow up clearly understanding the benefits of fairtrade then it becomes part of the ethos and makeup.
5. Don’t be put off by a feeling that our little contribution makes no difference as cumulatively our power is infinitely greater than those who are corrupt. Buy fairtrade first.

If you want to discuss any of these points or any others please log on to our forum at www.jambohut.com and let your feelings known.

©jambohut and Ethical Earth Limited 2006