Earth at Work

On Yer Bike

Posted in Out and About by Vivienne on October 4, 2009

Small diversion from the plants here – an uplifting, if possibly simplistic, video clip  from Good about the effect of fair trade and appropriate aid on a Rwandan coffee-growing community.  Instead of carrying heavy bags of coffee on their heads, farmers now transport them on specially adapted bicycles.

To Western readers, $120 for a bike might not sound like much but I expect it’s at least several months’ salary for some of those farmers.  The CIA World Fact Book says 60 per cent of Rwandans live on less than $1.25 a day.  What do we pay for semi-skimmed latte  in London or New York? $3?

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