The advice and informational content does not necessarily represent the views of mother's market and kitchen mother's recommends consulting your health professional for your personal medical condition.

Hello, I'm Kimberly King and welcome to the mother's market radio show. I show dedicated to the Truth, Beauty and Goodness of the human condition. On today's show, we look into a company leading the way on the free trade front, learn how a company can make a difference by giving back a truly inspiring story, so you'll wanna listen close, plus later, we'll tell you what's new at mother's market and what's going on around town, but first step, we are pleased to have a offender alliance with us today, he established his fair trade cooperative in 2003 and sales of his products have helped fund multiple community empowerment projects in West Africa. He's such an interesting story. And we welcome him to the mother's market radio show.

How are you?

Well, thank you. Is to be here. Well, we're happy to have you here for those of us, for those of you in our audience that may not be familiar with your mission and your work, why don't you fill them in before we get to today's topic... Well, it depends. Do we have all day?

We have all day for you, the world and the hours, so please, personal... And you said thank you to you guys and thanks to mother's market. Our organizations, as you mentioned, in terms of the community project, we call an empowerment committee project, myself, coming from a country named tug, which is in Vassar and end up here in the US, and after going to college, realize that there's a need to contribute to my communities I felt the sense that by not contributing to my community as a process of a living poverty, then I become the contributor of property, and I did not want to be the contributor-Barbera until I look in our communities and what do we have to offer the world? And I look specifically, what do matters like my mother have to offer in that I didn't have the opportunity to get education and dot com clearly to seeing the traditional knowledge that exists in our communities and will look, what are those traditional knowledge, what... In the DEA and Thaddeus to the hand crafted of share butter, the sheer trees are only native to West Africa, and the knowledge of making it only particular to this event of West Africa. So we thought I would confirm the Corbett in 2003 as a place where the woman can go and work and use the acknowledge that they have, instead of saying that because you don't speak English or you can't... We didn't find that. You have no place in the world.

My thought was that those women... Like my mother has a place in the world, we just have to establish a place where they can use their skills and their process leads to where we are today, which is return the funds of calendars product, so that hopefully in the future, Menominee, my mother will have the opportunities, and there will be no need to have to create as a place, we are so grateful for people like you in the world... Thank you.

Well, today we are talking about your company and the great things that you've been able to do, so you talked a little bit about this, but how... Really did a... Laffite started... The start of Palawan is something that is compliant by... Yes, simple is out of the pure desire. As I mentioned it earlier, that I can contribute to my community. And just very quickly, I grew up in a b-10 room with eight children, and I work along my mother in the farm, and I think that was early on. I have learned the difficulties that women have in Togo, and as I said by Calico operative, is it where to go? And we did it by simply going to the bank and said that I think that I can save the whole country of Africa, 50000, which is a very crazy idea, so the direct answer, how do the life you start acts simply because we're naive, and we thought that we can really save the world, and I said, I believe that by the way, and with a loan, which the bank is payback, I went back between 2001-2003 and went from village to village and said that, I believe if we can make sure better under the farther are principles and sell in the US, we can raise money for the schools, and there was a dares, and that's where we are today.

Amazing.

How did a liver grow from such small roots to what it is today? This is the beginning, right? So you just described all of this a bit, but from one person like you to look at where it's grown, I always say that a lot of it is where it is today because of the people... Because of the people in Togo and because of the people in America. And certainly, about nine years ago, when we were still working our kitchen, the motors markets were our first retail store here in the Solan, California, and today the modes market carry, particularly almost every product that we make, what that means, that that support from just two skus to over 200 skills that we have today, that helps us to go where we are, it means our retailers are supporting us and we're able to grow for that process, but it's also because I like is what I called the absolute commandment that my wife and I give our life to what later is that we are willing to walk Dana night and as we scratched the surface and we can begin to see the impacts of what our screen in community is that I don't have or others, I think it is the courage to continue one by one, and to continue pending, but I think it's also because we feel that there's no need to over-charge the customers here in the US, we feel that if we're supporting communities in Togo and matters here in the US or families that cannot have access to this healthier option, that's not right, that poor people in America should be able to purchase our product is that would make our product affordable and clean and will work hard then with the support of five retailers, we are where we are today, and that's an amazing... Again, you've come up with this, you from really... As you said, you started this as a young boy and you have taken this concept and you stayed with us, your loyal, and you've had a lot of courage and look at who you bonded around you, so... I'm just so impressed. Tell us a little bit about the empowerment or... The empowerment tour is a wife to show gratitude, and you probably get a sense that culture is important to me in some ways, and in too, when somebody helps you or gives you an opportunity is a required that isn't yourself in person, emails or letters is not gonna do not to be there to be there and shake their hands as he... Exactly, so we feel that since these are 10 years, and as I said earlier, we are only here because of the support of customers and our retailers, and therefore it makes sense to go to those stores and to the people that support us in graduating person for supporting us and try to share with them that the critical role that they play, because sometimes I think if people can get our touch easily when de, they're not too good to see what it means or when it purchase our product, what it means. So to go on to be able to share with them that what they're doing have a direct impact in our community is very profound, the impact... And that's what we're doing. We can be on the road for 52 days and going from store store, place to place to place, entire rarities in person. I love that, I love that. It's your gratitude. Can you explain a bit about what fair trade is and how it works, and why is Fair Trade certification important?

The certifications is critical because he requires you to improve, at least that's the way I see it, and also it means that you are open to be looked up and on to when you have a fairtrade certification. It also means as a third party agency that should go the source and verify if indeed people are gen pay fair wages, and most importantly, if we are working safe working conditions, because the main issue in the poor countries is that the safe work conditions are not available to the people, and because of poverty, people will work in any condition that is given to them, so when your Patrice RIF, aside from Pantages, clearly says fair wages, but we look at it as making sure that there's a safe working condition for those that participate in whatever adiabatic also say the Fed trade along, as far as I'm concerned, is not enough for the content for Africa, we cannot get our poverty simply by practicing fairtrade, we participate trade as a step, but we need to go on beyond that.

You are the gatekeeper, you're also... You're professional, you are... You've mentioned being shown gratitude, you're improving the conditions, you're Teri trust, but verify, but you are... You're professional, and I love that about this. How do fair trade and gender equality work together?

Again, we fatten me very... From place to place. And for Alamein particular, we think that two-week general quality... And to me, when I talk about generality, I'm talking about economic equality for women, I believe that if women are given a similar opportunity that men have interiors West Africa toward economics, that darken helps to bring equality and the families that it wouldn't be... That demands are in charge of everything. And again, I'm not saying that everywhere in Africa or everywhere in Togo, that women don't have the rights, but is it very clear that we have a long way to go, even in this country that's supposed to be a democratic country, and we have a weird to go Maginot and our content, and what we're saying, if we can pay this woman a fair price for that labor, then that will help for them to have the income and should not have to be in control in order. mandates, great point. You come a long way from where you've started and you're still marching forward, and... That's amazing. How is the practice of fair trade through a law impacted the communities of Togo impact the men often, many, various way, because a fair trade itself, if you fully participate where that should be, there's what is called the chain of cascade, the Ten of Costa De began where the first row median. So for us, it begins with the shares collector, and we have over 4000 members that are participating in collecting denies, and those members are benefited in the sense that they give five wages, and then when they come to our cooperative, we have over 500 members that are cooperative during those shares into the share butter and when at the end of the day, or after Sonos product and us, the income return terms back to to that goes into the communities that don't necessarily participate in Shaolin or they participate in the cooperative. So they get other benefits. And I think that is often difficult to express the kind impact that creates in the community unless you can be there for yourself because it's hard to summarize, but what is clear is that in our cooperative, all those that we work with, the only way that they would not be part of the cooperative as if they were to pass away, which means it's something for grandparents to them to be part of a life here. And I think if we look all the schools and there is the comet project that will conduct is very clear that the contribution modes greatly...

Well, this is very interesting information, and as you can see your passion behind all this, which is wonderful, right now we're gonna take a quick break and when we return more information on Alawi and some product benefits as well... Stay with us, we'll be right back.

Or welcome back to the mother's market radio show. And we wanna remind you that if you missed any portion of today's show, you can find us on iTunes by searching mother's market or download the show from our website, mother's market dot com, click the link for radio and listen to past shows. Plus download our Healthy Recipes and money savings coupons, all available at mother's market dot com.

And now, back to our interview and we're talking about a life, founder, Ali and Celso, tell me one more question about Tiga, the community projects you've been involved with, the bicycle program... The idea behind the bicycle program, which we have for the past nine years, is collect used biscoe in America, must Westman states, and then send the logo so that the girls can go to school at has been happening or what contributed to the high drop out among the girls, and there's three times as many girls into dropping out his boys, and some of it has to do with the fact that the grows are having to do the dishes, deaneries, and we feel that by having a bicycle, they can go back and forth faster from school because we cannot change was required that my home, but what we can do is provide the transportation, 'cause if you walk five miles or 10 miles to school, and having to do all that I require of you as a young lady, there are just not enough time to study, and we have found in the past nine years, that is the opposite inset percent draw before the secondary school is that we have 90% retention in the school, and that's very, very important. Again, with dedication that will help our young ladies loved to get job one day, hopefully get out poverty.

Wow, that's a large amount of the percentage is amazing, but I see, again, with your research and how you're really getting in there to help them out, so those community projects have been... I like the how you're getting involved there with your community projects.

Okay, so let's talk a little bit about your products and the benefits of unrefined shea butter with the benefits of... There's two to share butters, you can have refine, share, but unrefined she better, just as you can have wide wheat or whole wheat, and we know one has the fiber in one pen, and we also know that most people eat by flower, even though we never... Doesn't have all the fibers that we need, was a similar thing, when they come to unrefined share better, it means that has not been processed, and particularly for a layer is hand-done, hand-crafted, and what that means, that it retains all the healing properties that share... But are supposed to do particularly the vibe knee and she... But it has been tied about your properties, and that's one of the reasons why in Togo used on biblical cords, but particularly, you have to see that the sun creates a quite about damage to our skin and being able to use the share, but to protect our layers. And making sure that it's unrefined. It creates a lot of benefits... Wow, and I didn't realize that about the bicolor either.

What are the benefits of unrefined name oil?

The new oil originally complement the India and the past 800 years has been through outstanding... Will they go wild? And as many of your listeners may know, lean is known for antibacterial properties and Tioga properties. And our name is Hanes, and for all the different oils and Boris in the layer product we make ourselves, and those are hand price, and again, if you see our names that has the color mean color to it, it means that has not been process or refined and those benefits are very important, particularly when they come to the face... Thought about black soap.

But that's my favorite.

And why is that, man?

Because it goes back to what I say earlier, tradition to tradition matters at the Block O is older as far as we know in West Africa, in the wind, which is made... So you make me so by cooking in... So we cook the oils with the ash, and people Triassic believe that making a self-inter Charlie, and that's why I would call it black, so because it's a brownish, almost dark color, and that means... Are you making charcoal?

So cooking the OS by mix of the A to react the oils, almost a charcoal, as I was saying, people think that charcoal is purifying and detoxifying for the skin, and then it is something that design can back up to... The star does matter, and when you use it, you can see the feeling that it brings to your skin and our block, so because traditionally made is helping us to do two things, One, it helps preserve traditions, and the second thing, it helps you offer those products here in the US, with people who have sensitive skin, and it's also good for the youngsters, but one thing I didn't say is that security is in the sun for three weeks, which creates what they call is a complete reaction, it means that you have just so there's no more reaction happening after the Korean process, you know what I like about talking to you about is that you get your tradition, your culture and your history, it's not just like, Well, we offer the refined black Hopper, we offer this refined Newhall, we have your history about it in to go. And so I think with your product line and your LaPierre, proud tradition with that, so you should... I hope you offer that when you sell that in your mother's market or where you have that... Because you should be proud of that.

Thank you.

Yes, so we're down now, I'm just gonna... We're not done.

So I wanna go back to another question of that, what are the benefits of coconut oil?

What Econ is similar to the share, but in a way... But I have the bias, Diane, professor, whatever. Because is it native to us are... Yeah, that's you to have the BI... Because I...

Eurostat, we use mostly in our coconut is that the baby coconut, because they have a lot enzymes in bionic, he may call it is not the word that you want to say, but it is you... Coconuts are when they... Because they haven't done to the full maturity yet, and when you have something that's still growing and you can use on your skin, it has a great benefits, and that's why we have tones that the mother's markets carry, they are dystonia prone water. But the coconut themselves, we use what is called the fermentation process to extract the oil, and the fermentation process involved making coconut milk, we who live in the Sun and the colo themselves rise to the top and you skim it off the point that again is not... We all know the benefits that the coconut give you and coconut very popular, but it's how it's made... That you get the benefit. If it's made ringette benefit, if it's not made right, you don't get those benefit and deferment Aton process, we believe that still retain all the healing populate should be there and those... I should answer your question directly or... Mostly anti-oxidants.

Okay, there again, the healing process to why is it important to use these ingredients in their natural and whole state?

It is important, one, because that's what we can offer the world...

I feel in America, you can make things by machine, and the industrialized or merging autonomy, you can make things by Nishan, and what we can make is hand-crafted, and I think we also know through our history, we don't need science to prove these two is that one will make things by hand. They tend to be more coexistence with nature, and we know that we are in the process of destroying our Earth faster, and so then we know in Togo, making share butter by hand, were is in chemicals or machinery tend to help preserve those she had not... So did she had trees and helps to keep the culture, but ultimately come to the customers, the end user, when the NSR using a product has not been heavily process, then they're getting the benefit, all the values of the one that they spend on our product, because when they buy something to expect it to do something, to do the health they're supposed to do, and if we're able to derive those woredas before we make it lotions or shampoos, that tent and those wrong state, then they are the customers, again, the benefit... What they pay for, and I think that should be considered in this pair... Yeah, maybe by your hands and the man from your culture, rather than as you say, here we are in the United States and we do things by me and I want more things to do to die, tend to look for... There's various ways a lot of... You look for the benefit. Day, my hands, it helps to create jobs, period, that's very important, if we can create jobs that will reduce the chances of war, and one that we have a lot awards going on to a continent because people are looking for ways to survive, and so we were jobs and that can reduce the chances of civil wars... That's a really good point, or especially going on right now and very timely that you're saying that, why is it so important to use natural and chemical-free skin care products?

I would say dental ready, there's so much in our environment, a very polluted is often said, our skin is a large part of our body, our organs, and if we have a chance not to add any more chemicals to us, and I think he just makes sense. Not to do so. And I think that sometimes the customers or people are misled to what we bring beauty by, in reality is the chemical is the common to their neck change for the beauty, and we feel that the true beauty should be holistic, we need to more our skins using more ingredients, and we also need to be ethical in the process, and we'll combine those two things, I think the insurers are were hop inside then we're happy outside.

And that's so well stated. I really love your whole... Just your ethical from the very beginning, from your culture to the way you put jobs back into Togo and your professionalism. I love what you stand for, so I thank you for coming here and good luck on your tour, thank you and thanks to all our customer is a modest market for the support that they present to us.

Well, good luck, thank you so much for your time, and it was such a pleasure having you here on the show, and in the meantime, you can learn so much more about Alania on their Facebook page. Let me just spell it. For you, it is A-L-A-F-F-I-A. that's the spelling. And again, thank you so much for joining us today, paintings for listening to the mother's market radio show. And for shopping at mother's market, the advice and informational content does not necessarily represent the views of mother's market and kitchen, mother's recommends consulting your health professional for your personal medical condition,