Like most six-year-olds, Ramsay Hobson is excited about Halloween.
She squeals with delight at the mere mention of Oct. 31 and the thought of her carefully chosen angel costume.
But as her mother has explained to her, on the other side of the world, workers -including children her own age - suffer so that chocolate bars can be handed out to trick-or-treaters here.
Many people aren't aware of the plight of cocoa bean farmers in countries like Cote D'Ivoire and Ghana, says Dale Ladouceur, a local activist, musician and Ramsay's mom.
In a bid to help educate Edmontonians about the widespread use of child labour in the industry, unsustainable and environmentally damaging farming practices and abuse of labourers, Ramsay and Ladouceur plan to hand out samples of fair trade chocolate to the houses they visit this Halloween.
She squeals with delight at the mere mention of Oct. 31 and the thought of her carefully chosen angel costume.
But as her mother has explained to her, on the other side of the world, workers -including children her own age - suffer so that chocolate bars can be handed out to trick-or-treaters here.
Many people aren't aware of the plight of cocoa bean farmers in countries like Cote D'Ivoire and Ghana, says Dale Ladouceur, a local activist, musician and Ramsay's mom.
In a bid to help educate Edmontonians about the widespread use of child labour in the industry, unsustainable and environmentally damaging farming practices and abuse of labourers, Ramsay and Ladouceur plan to hand out samples of fair trade chocolate to the houses they visit this Halloween.
'GENEROUS AND SWEET'
"We will be taking their chocolate because it's a very generous and sweet thing to do," Ladouceur said.
"A lot of this candy isn't cheap. (Fair trade chocolate) is just an option in case anybody isn't aware of it."
The initiative, dubbed Reverse-Trick-or-Treating, was started last year by Global Exchange, a human rights advocacy group.
The organization sends the chocolate samples along with education pamphlets for free to anyone who's interested in participating.
"The fair trade certified chocolate guarantees (fair price) for farmers and workers and supports sustainable environment practices," Ladouceur explained.
Ramsay says she wanted to take part "because of the poor people."
"I know some people don't know about the atrocities on these cocoa farms," Ladouceur said. "No one has advocated for them really. When people start making different choices, that's what will perpetuate real change."
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