Divine Chocolate Meeting the President

Kojo and Paul presenting the President McAleese with traditional

Ghanaian Kente cloth and Divine Chocolates as Peter Gaynor from Fairtrade Mark Ireland looks on.

A trip to Áras an Uachtaráin (The Irish Presidential Palace) in Dublin, was a real treat for the Fairtrade farmers and their Divine Chocolate colleagues alike as they attended a reception hosted by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese.

This celebration of Fairtrade within Ireland was attended by Kojo and Paul from Kuapa Kokoo as well as Fairtrade business representatives and local Fairtrade activists from throughout Ireland.

After welcoming the guests the President clearly laid out her own personal support of Fairtrade and commented that she was confident that Fairtrade would become increasingly available throughout Ireland, as the Irish people stand for econmic justice and in solidarity with those less fortunate than themselves.

Whilst meeting a country's leader is a new honour for most, Kojo later informed us that he also met both Tony Blair (Prime Minister of Britain), and John Kuffor (President of Ghana) when they visited Kuapa Kokoo, Ghana in 2002.

Belfast Mayor gets to try Divine Fairtrade Chocolate

Paul and Kojo presenting the Mayor of Belfast with a Divine Chocolate hamper

Paul and Kojo met the current Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Jim Rodgers (Ulster Unionist Party - UUP) who explained that the Titanic sailed from Belfast in perfect condition. The Mayor proudly told the farmers of the city's ongoing commitment with supporting Fairtrade.

Divine Chocolate farmers celebrate in Belfast

Paul and Kojo enjoy Fairtrade drinks with a giant banana at a local Oxfam shop

Divine Chocolate's David Greenwood-Haigh presenting at Queen University

From Wales to Ireland and the final leg of the Divines 'Chocolate makes the world go round' tour. Paul and Kojo arrived in Belfast to the sound of drums as the Oxfam Ireland shop on Rosemary Street arranged a Fairtrade party in honour of the farmers and Fairtrade Fortnight. There was even a giant Fairtrade banana, a must at all parties.

Then on to Queen University, awared Fairtrade status, for an evening with their business student's. Divine Chocolate with Paul and Kojo gave presentation's, followed by a local Fairtrade cafe, showing how Fairtrade is making a difference to farmers in Ghana and a difference to local businesses in Ireland.

From primary to tertiary - Fairtrade rules

Paul shows Year 6 children what a cocoa pod looks like

In Aberystwyth, North Wales Divine Chocolate had been invited to attend a Fairtrade conference for local schools organised by Diane Isenberg. This was a fantastic event - attended in the morning by classes and Fairtrade Groups from a large number of primary schools - hosted by Penglais Secondary School. There were Fairtrade stands, and displays and presentations from schoolchildren demonstrating the innovative ways in which they had promoted Fairtrade in their schools and communities. Kojo and Paul captured their attention with the story of life on a cocoa farm and were then able to meet all the children in smaller groups to answer questions and show them cocoa pods and beans up close. One child, whose father is a farmer, offered to trade two sacks of cocoa for two cows - and Kojo seemed to be quite tempted. We weren't sure they would get through Heathrow on the journey back though.

In the afternoon it was the turn of the Year 8 classes at Penglais. Fairtrade posters were all over the school and a Fairtrade mural had been painted on the wall by students in one of the canteens. It was amazing to see the zeal with which young Welsh people were getting behind Fairtrade. Dubble and Divine sampling was an added bonus at the end of the event!

Wales Fairtrade Forum leader Mark Richardson then piled us into his car and we headed north again - to Bangor. There we were on the programme of a Fairtrade evening event at Bangor University. Andrew Wilson heads up the Fairtrade team at the University and had achieved amazing things since the group got together in January this year. 120 students, residents and local officials turned up which I attribute to Andrew's brilliant marketing - but he put it down to the lure of chocolate! Always a winner. There was no doubt that the audience was interested, and engaged, asking questions about supply chains and farming technology and coming up to talk at length after the event. A high point of the evening was when Kojo and Paul presented the Mayor with his certificate announcing that Bangor had achieved Fairtrade Town status.

ITV Wales has been broadcasting reports all through Fairtrade Fortnight from Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana - featuring Paul Ayepah, the farmer on tour with Divine Chocolate.

See the films here:

Introducing Fairtrade

Empowering women

Growing cocoa

Linking schools in Ghana and Wales

Countdown to Fairtrade Fortnight

Sunrise in Bayerebon, Ghana

Fairtrade Fortnight 2008 is round the corner! There are so many ways you can get involved to make this the best year yet!

• Send off for your free Divine Chocolate supporter kits from Ethical Superstore. They contain leaflets, postcards, posters and of course chocolate so you can set up an event to spread the Divine word! http://www.ethicalsuperstore.com/products/divine-chocolate/divine-chocolate-supporter-promotion-pack/
• Check out our events calendar and attend an event and meet the farmers for yourself. Divine Chocolate will be in London, Exeter, St Austell, Wales and Ireland, see you there! http://www.divinechocolate.com/events/upcoming.aspx
• Visit the Fairtrade Foundation bus tour http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/fortnight_bus_tour.htm
• Make something Divine, like a cake and take it into work. For recipe ideas visit http://www.divinechocolate.com/joinin/recipes.aspx
• Look out for offers in your supermarkets over the next 2 weeks on Fairtrade goods, especially delicious Divine Chocolate!
• Stock the choc, if your local newsagent or store does not stock Divine Chocolate then please request for them to sell it. You will be directly benefitting thousands of Ghanaian farmers by doing so
  

Fairtrade Fortnight Tour

image by kim naylor

Welcome to the Divine Chocolate Fairtrade Fortnight blog.

Divine Chocolate is inviting two cocoa farmers from Ghana to join them here for Fairtrade Fortnight 2008 (25th February – 9th March). Throughout the tour Divine Chocolate and the two farmers will be regulary updating this blog with stories of their journey. This year Divine Chocolate’s tour will include visits to Ireland and Wales, as well as several events in England.

Throughout the two weeks Divine Chocolate and the two Kuapa farmers will be attending a variety of Fairtrade-inspired events and talking to schoolchildren, shoppers and retailers, church groups and local businesses, government officials and Fairtrade steering committees. They will be telling their stories of how Fairtrade, and owning a chocolate company, has changed their lives – and in turn discovering how much we love chocolate here in the UK – and why ‘chocolate makes the world go round’!

The current schedule includes England events in London, Exeter and the Eden Project in Cornwall. In Wales the tour includes Bangor, Powys, Cardiff and Aberystwyth. Then on to Ireland where visits to Dublin, Cork and Belfast are planned.

Divine Chocolate has toured every year for the past six years with cocoa farmers during Fairtrade Fortnight, and 2008 will be the first time the farmers who come will be men! Their roles as Recorders are key to the structure and organisation of Kuapa Kokoo – they are elected as trusted fellow-farmers to weigh the cocoa accurately and pay farmers the right price accordingly. Each year thousands of people in the UK have had the chance to hear farmers speak and hear firsthand the impact of Fairtrade, and hundreds of them have had the chance to speak to the farmers in person. This direct connection with the farmers behind the food we love is key to the appeal of Fairtrade.

Divine Chocolate

Divine Chocolate announced its dividend and Kuapa Kokoo, the largest share holder, shares in the companys profits

Divine Chocolate is the delicious Fairtrade chocolate that is co-owned by the Ghanaian cooperative of cocoa farmers, Kuapa Kokoo, which means 'the Good Cocoa Farmer' in the local Twi language.

All Divine products carry the Fairtrade Mark. This is an independent guarantee from the Fairtrade Foundation that the ingredients are sourced under internationally agreed fair trade terms and conditions. These include a guaranteed, secure price above the world market price for cocoa, an extra social premium payment, long term trading contracts, decent health and safety conditions and a commitment to support community programmes aimed at empowering farmers to increase their abilities to be self sufficient. Divine goes even one step further as the farmers co-ownership of the company means they have a direct influence over how Divine is run and receive a share of the profits from the chocolate.