Fairtrade visit by Nicaraguan coffee producer

Millersneuk Primary head teacher Greg Caldow is pictured with Fatima Ismael and the pupil council.

Fatima Ismael, a Fairtrade worker, visited Holy  Family and Millersneuk  primaries as part of her tour of Scotland’s Fairtrade  towns.

Children had the opportunity to hear first hand of  the challenges facing coffee growers (especially women) in Fatima’s native country  and had the chance to  question her on life and  working conditions in Nicaragua. Fatima is an agronomist engineer with 25 years’  experience of working with producer organisations in Nicaragua.

Her career has included working on production techniques, environmental protection, gender issues and education.

In the last seven years, she has also worked in the area of market promotion and commercialisation of coffee from small-holder male and female farmers.

Both Holy Family and Millersneuk primaries have attained Fairtrade school status which shows their commitment to and understanding  of the need to support  producers in developing countries, to help them improve  living and working conditions for themselves and their families.

Last year Lenzie became the first area in East Dunbartonshire to be granted Fairtrade Town status.

The Lenzie Fair Trade Group led a campaign to raise awareness of Fairtrade produce.

Fairtrade Fortnight - which is held every year to spread the movement’s important message - is currently underway and runs until March 9.