One great way to keep Palestinians on their land' is to buy Palestinian. Canaan Fair Trade is a Palestinian organization that sells certified organic extra virgin olive oil made in the traditional manner in the West Bank - the land where olive oil began. Activism never tasted so good! Click the logo below to go to the Canaan Fair Trade Store .
Canaan Fair Trade guarantees a fair price to farmers and producers, including an Organic premium. They require that farm workers and workers at the processing points, like presses and mills, are paid fairly and provided with healthy and safe working conditions set by the Palestine Fair Trade Association (PFTA) guidelines. (Learn more about PFTA at www.palestinefairtrade.org).
Your Canaan Fair Trade order supports these projects in Palestine:
Trees for Life - A Project to Plant Thousands of Olive Trees in Palestine
This project helps offset the enormous destruction of trees in Palestine by the Israeli army, Israeli settlers, and the Israeli segregation wall, and helps keep Palestinians on their land. Trees for Life provides individual Palestinian farmers with 25 to 50 new olive tree seedlings (3 years old) to plant and nurture in order to renew their decimated groves. Priority is given to small farmers, farmers that have lost trees to the Israeli destruction, women who own land and are interested in farming, and young farmers. Last year, 15,000 trees were planted. For every tin of olive oil sold, one dollar goes to Trees for Life.
Canaan Scholarship Fund
Access to education is a major concern in Palestine. Some 20,000 students have been affected by the construction of the Israeli “Wall.” Palestinian schools have been closed for months at a time. An estimated 64% percent of people in the West Bank live below the poverty line. Canaan Fair Trade is committed to increasing access to higher education especially for Palestinian farm and refugee communities. This year ten scholarships were awarded to high school graduates. Priority was given to students whose parents never attended university. Students attend the university and degree program of their choice. Scholarships cover the cost of tuition for four years of study. For every tin of olive oil sold, one dollar goes to Canaan Scholarship Fund.
Micro-Loans for Women
The Micro-loan Project enables small producers, and people with few resources, especially women, to start their own business and become self-supporting. Two-year micro-loans of $500 to $1500 are used to purchase supplies and begin producing according to fair trade guidelines. Canaan Fair Trade insures success by providing specific production methods, quality specifications and proper training, then marketing the products produced. Currently there are four women-owned cooperatives of 21 members producing Couscous and Za'atar, and four women cooperatives of 20 members producing sun-dried tomatoes. You can join Canaan Fair Trade in the Micro-loan project by purchasing olive oil or make a micro-loan donation to the program of your choice.