TRADE AND COMMERCE
“If we do not build the roads, bridges and schools, if we do not plough the fields and till the soil, if we do not carry on the TRADE AND COMMERCE, to whom shall we look for the accomplishments of these tasks. Has education been given so that the educated may disdain physical toil and perspiration? Have the healthy been protected from disease so that they may scorn the hard labour upon which alone our nation can hope to advance? ” H.I.M
The mandate of the Trade and Commerce Ministry involves coordination of the production of trade articles, market surveys, market links, creating awareness about the product and informing on fair trade practices. Our main trade items are art, agricultural and music products. These are the main resources which provide funds to run the programs of Haile Selassie I Foundation/Shiriki Organization. It therefore calls for each volunteer to be multi-skilled and relentlessly hard working. The Trade and Commerce Ministry ensures the balance of production and demand. The volunteers have to be especially mobile checking various markets locally, countrywide and universally. Some of the market outlets include local open markets, exhibitions, events, the internet, farmers markets, music concerts, media and word of mouth. Having shared the various skills widely within communities it is also our task to help link networks for goods being produced. The work we are doing on trade and commerce is not for profit; instead it aids in establishing permanent solutions towards self-reliance for youth, farmers and all those within the independent world community. Therefore, it calls for research, analysis and information sharing. It also involves creating awareness amongst those who produce and unfortunately suffer exploitation from middle men and other agencies. It is the intention to enhance cooperation with all those who have interest, information, forums and expertise in this field. Together we can help ease the bottlenecks which deny the producer justice, keep working conditions unsuitable and deny access to information. |