Kendra Kobiskie Fair Trade Consultant [Manhattan, KS ]
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	Kendra with Gladys Adjimer, the co-founder of the Fair Trade Center in Odumase-Krobo.
		Description: (Odumase-Krobo, Ghana. May - Jul 2007) While progress had been made on rolling out the Global Mamas internal fair trade certification program in Cape Coast, WIP still needed help in ensuring the bead producers and assemblers in WIP's Krobo location were embracing fair trade principles in all aspects their business (i.e. paying fair wages, producing in an environmentally friendly manner, etc.) WIP also needed assistance in streamlining the way it was tracking data on the producers, including annual economic progress of the producers, required and optional training programs attended, stages completed in the fair trade certification program, etc. Accomplishments: Kendra was able to help WIP in many different areas: Interviewed the bead-makers to learn more about their businesses, then compiled their answers and assessed their progress toward fair trade certification based on the fair trade standards. Created a list of recommendations for each business to work towards in order to receive their fair trade certification. Created an Access database to keep track of biographical and fair trade certification information about each of the businesses, both in Krobo and Cape Coast. Created product specification sheets for most of the products in the existing Global Mamas bead line. Highlights: The most rewarding part of Kendra's internship was the bookkeeping/record keeping training that she conducted with several of the women. She felt it was well received and very applicable for the women. "I absolutely loved my time in Ghana. I gained hands-on experience with a non-profit and fair trade cooperative while being immersed in another culture. It was amazing learning about bead making, its significance for the region and the impact that fair trade has made. Ghana is beautiful and I had a wonderful time experiencing it!" close window