By REBECCA BILLS
MOUNT Evelyn Christian School (MECS) is using its annual Mother’s Day stall to give back.
With the theme ‘Think Global and Local,’ Friends of MECS Mother’s Day stall will feature a range of fair trade and locally produced gifts for purchase by students for their mothers.
The school’s community relations officer Amanda Steele said the money raised will go to purchasing materials for sanitary packs to be made for ladies in Uganda, Thailand, Philippines and Africa.
Event organiser and volunteer at Upcycled Creative Wares Eva MacCartney said some of the products that are being sold at the stall come from the slums of Bangkok where women are given the opportunity to make a fair and honest wage.
“Bangkok’s slum is rife with prostitution, drugs and debt,” she said.
“Urban Neighbours of Hope workers work in two areas of the slums where they have set up initiatives to help women in particular to try and lead a different life.
“The town Klong Toey has a community centre where women come and get the materials to make jewellery – they are paid per piece once they bring back the items they have made.”
Mrs MacCartney said the initiative is of no cost to the workers except their time.
“This initiative has been going now for about 10 years and in turn has provided finances for other micro-business to be set up in the area therefore providing honest employment opportunities for that community.”
Mrs Steele said the stall aligns with the Christian values taught at the school and prompts students and parents to think about who and what they are supporting when buying Mother’s Day gifts.
