Best practices

In this section, Fairtrade certified producers can share experiences and best practices. Every quarter, producers tell about their practical solutions to a certain challenge. Click here for previous environmental and social case studies.

HIV/AIDS producer projects

What projects do you implement to educate farmers and workers on the risks of HIV/AIDS? Do you roll out awareness campaigns? What types of services are offered to workers and farmers who are HIV positive?

Case study 1 – Testing in the field

Profile:
Volta River Estates (VREL)
Product focus: Bananas
Location: New Akrade, Ghana
Type: Hired labour  – 600 workers
Fairtrade certified since: 1996
Contact: Juliet Arku-Mensah – admin@voltariver.com

Challenge:
Around 2% of Ghanaians are infected with HIV/AIDS, but the situation in the Eastern region of the country, where VREL is located, is significantly worse. With a percentage of 7.8, Agormanya, the town nearest to the organisation, records one of the highest numbers of HIV victims in Ghana. To address the social and economic consequences of the epidemic, VREL management annually roles out an HIV/AIDS work plan. Like in other African countries, one of the most important challenges the organisation faces is to help producers understand the necessity to get tested.

Solution:
VREL workers are very reluctant to go to the health centres, citing lack of time and money for transport. Many workers are in denial that the epidemic can affect them or their families. As a solution VREL decided to bring the health centre closer to the people. In May and June 2010, the management organized Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) days and nurses from the local government hospital visited the four VREL plantations. Snacks were provided to the workers waiting to be tested. The result showed that 22 out of its 600 workers are HIV positive.

Although VREL already had set up projects to raise awareness, management stepped up its efforts after the (anonymous) results were presented to ensure the campaign became more effective. Train-the-trainer programmes set up by the International Labour Organisation were attended and today 12 peer educators are raising awareness on the disease among VREL workers. Apart from general trainings, VREL invests resources in one-on-one meetings to educate the workers personally. Since 2006, the company has a work place policy to improve conditions of those affected. VREL also financially supports the workers who are ill, paying for their medical costs.

Cost:
On average, VREL spends around 2,000 GHC (or 1,250 USD) annually to roll out the HIV/AIDS work plan. The Fairtrade premium has been used to purchase condoms, invite external speakers as well as buy snacks for waiting workers during VTC days.

Result:
A new screening round has been scheduled in March, but VREL management already notices that the work plan is creating more awareness amongst its workers and they show more willingness to get tested. As a next step, VREL will extend the campaign to the local community. The biggest challenge they currently face, is to keep workers interested in the topic.

Case study 2 – The public-private partnership

Profile:
Mabale Growers Tea Factory Ltd
Product focus: Black tea
Location: Kyenjojo District, Uganda
Type: Small scale producer – 3,600 farmers & 700 workers
Fairtrade certificate since: 2000
Contact: Joseph Ayebazibwe– jayebazibwe@mabaletea.com /josephayebazibwe@ymail.com

Challenge:
Although less affected than countries in Southern Africa, an estimated 2.3 million people (6.6% of the total population) live with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Unlike in most other countries, the Ugandan government has played an active role and effective public campaigns have contributed to a decline of the HIV pandemic over the past years. Mabale Growers Tea Factory is working together with the government to create a bigger impact on its farmers, workers and the community at large. Statistics show that for every 10 people who come for HIV testing at Mabale, 3 people are found to be HIV positive.

Solution:
The Mabale Growers Tea Factory Health Centre provides free HIV/AIDS testing and counselling. The centre is not only open to Mabale farmers and workers but also offers its services to the wider community. When the Ugandan government decided to extend its health services by setting up co-funding partnerships with already existing privately owned clinics, Mabale was identified in a feasibility study as a suitable partner. With government support the Mabale health centre was able to improve its infrastructure, resulting in a status-3-upgrade so that patients henceforth could be admitted. In addition, the clinic is receiving an on-going monthly grant which (partly) covers free HIV-treatment and the government supplies Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs.

Mabale has also set up programmes to help sensitize its farmers and workers. When new staff members are recruited, the induction training includes HIV/AIDS issues. Staff is educated on prevention awareness and notified of anonymous testing possibilities at the clinic. The factory has also set up a health club where workers and producers can come together once a week to discuss openly on health issues. HIV/AIDS is one of the main topics of discussion.

Cost:
Mabale used its Fairtrade Premium to establish the clinic. The organisation receives a monthly government grant of 600,000 UGX (or 210 USD) to buy drugs, although it spends a minimum of three million UGX (or 1050 USD) on drug procurement per month.

Result:
The impact of all these projects is difficult to measure as HIV/AIDS still has a big stigma and anonymity is one of the key conditions to the success of the campaign. However, the willingness of workers and staff to participate in voluntary HIV testing and counselling is quite impressive. The success of the health club – 80% of the coop’s workers and staff are attending the weekly meetings – also proves there is a need for a platform where producers can discuss the topic freely without being stigmatised. The main challenge remains how to reach the farmers. Many of the farmers know little about prevention or even prefer not to know if they are HIV positive.

Case study 3 – Theater

Profile:
Sheena Flowers and Plants
Product focus: Flowers and plants
Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
Type: Hired labour – 200 workers
Fairtrade certified since: 2009
Contact: Tinashe Mungandani – tinashe@godavery.co.zw

Challenge:
With around one in ten of the population living with HIV/AIDS, Zimbabwe is experiencing one of the harshest AIDS epidemics in the world. Statistics from the local clinic show that 10% of workers at Sheena Flowers and Plants are HIV positive. To help control the disease, the farm has set up different projects to educate its workers and help the ones affected by AIDS.

Solution:
One of Sheena’s most effective sensitising projects was a play on HIV/AIDS set up by the farm’s workers. The actors were all members of the Health and Safety Committee. Title of the improvised play was ‘Prevention of HIV and AIDS in our Community’. The actors tried to incorporate humour to gain the attention of the audience while addressing issues like AIDS prevention, HIV testing, living with AIDS etc. Over 150 workers, or three quarters of Sheena’s employees, attended the production. Its success can be attributed to different aspects:

-        Fun: although the topic was serious, by opting for entertainment, they were able to raise the interest of workers who would otherwise have been hesitant to learn more about HIV/AIDS
-        Culture: The stigma around HIV/AIDS – and open discussions about sex in general – makes it difficult for people in Zimbabwe to talk about the subject. Drama makes it easier for people to be educated on the topic.
-        Language: the play was put on stage in the local language, which again reached a bigger group of workers as some are illiterate.
-        Timing: The play was scheduled during office hours, so people didn’t have to give up any free time.

Sheena Flowers and Plants also implements other projects to raise awareness among its workers. Posters are hung up to sensitize workers on the dangers of unsafe sex and the use of condoms and once a month a local NGO (New Start Centre) visits the flower farm to train a group of workers on testing possibilities, how to live with HIV/AIDS etc. Every time a different group of workers is invited to attend. Incentives, including soap or basic commodities, are given to assure interest.

In addition, workers can visit the local clinic for free testing and counselling, although doctors are not allowed to prescribe drugs. Management also tries to help sick people (AIDS or other diseases) by providing transport to the hospital and ensuring lighter duties are assigned to weaker people.

Cost:
No costs were involved setting up the play and also the work with the local NGO is free. The Fairtrade Premium was used to pay for a course on HIV and AIDS counselling attended by Sheena’s qualified nurse in the clinic. The cost of the training in the local clinic was around 500 USD.

Result:
Since the start of the awareness campaign, clinic statistics show that the number of people affected by the virus has gone down from 30 to 20 people. As a next step, Sheena Flowers has started the process of registering its clinic, which will take up three to four months. Once registered, doctors at the clinic will be able to prescribe drugs. More plays are planned to further sensitise the flower workers.   

NEXT CHALLENGE: The next best practice session will be dedicated to a successful Premium investment in a stock breeding programme, using artificial insemination technology. Please contact us if you have a similar story or have invested the Premium in another successful business idea.

We strongly appeal to all members to contact us if you have experiences to share. Please contact Veronique if you have a story you would like to share: v.verlinden@fairtradeafrica.net or +254 202 72 1930