As a typical British consumer, my perception of Fairtrade was perhaps that of many other people in the UK; lots of coffee, divine chocolate and some bananas that you can buy at the Co-op. However, although I have been a supporter of the Fairtrade movement, it was not until my internship at Comparte in Santiago, Chile, that I really got to grasps with the notion of Fairtrade. It involves a lot more than just foods found on supermarket shelves.

Comparte is a non-profit organisation that aims to promote an export the products of hundreds of small producers throughout Chile. Although they may be small in number, their work is impressive. Working with these small artisanal producers who are making beautiful jewellery, household goods and producing some of the best tasting food, Comparte exports to over 35 countries worldwide and supports the workshops here in Chile by organising commercial tours for clients and seminars for the artisans. They currently have an impressive turnover of over US $ 1 million. My motives for applying for an internship with Comparte were based around three things: I study Spanish; I support the Fairtrade movement; and I wanted to get experience working in a professional environment. Comparte provided me the opportunity for all three.

Arriving at the office on my first day I had no idea what my role would entail: would it be the stereotypical “Fetch me a coffee, intern!” experience? Would I be working on their website, sneaking peeks at my Facebook? Just how involved in the business would I be? After my introductory meeting, it turned out that I would be very involved in the day-today life of Comparte and so far only once have I been asked to fetch the coffee! I was assigned to work in the Food Department which is less of a department and more of one man, Rodrigo, working with 40 food producers organising exports and working with clients in Germany, Italy and the USA. In addition, he meets with the producers, coordinates client’s visits as well as taking our producers to visit the people who buy their products in Europe. I have been very fortunate to learn a great deal from him whether it be how you actually go about exporting something to another country, which is a lot more complicated than you’d think, or how you make raisins in the 5^th Region in Chile, another equally complicated process.

The first month was an intense month of learning. My Chilean, which really is a different language to Spanish, was that of a ten year old and so learning about shipping codes, customs procedures and technical food processes in Spanish was a steep learning curve. My first task was to help prepare information sheets for the range of wines that Comparte exports; however, this task then developed into a greater one. I spent the next three weeks compiling information sheets for every product we sell so if a client asks for information, we have it on hand. With Fairtrade, it is not just the product that matters, but also where it comes from. With the products we buy, we have to remember that we are not just buying a bottle of wine, but the producer’s story of how they made the wine, their heritage and their efforts. The product is so much more than its material appearance. Therefore, in addition to creating info sheets about the products, we had to tell every producer’s story as well. This work allowed me to really understand each product, get some background information and learn about the producers here in Chile. I also had the opportunity to visit our olive paste producer in Region V, stay at his farm, and meet other producers who are trying to sell their products. It was a very informative and humbling trip. The plots of land we visited were just being established and the owners had high hopes for the future. Hopefully, demand for their product will grow because if not, they must rely on the national market. Also our host had just returned from a commercial tour in Europe to see where his olive paste was being sold and he compared the markets here in Chile and in Europe. Back in the office, I was helping with the first export of his paste to the USA, making sure all the regulations were met. It is a real motivation actually meeting the people behind the product.

As I finished creating the catalogues in English and Spanish, my role then changed to looking for new markets in which to sell the products. The idea was to find new places where we could sell our fantastic products and keep supporting our producers in these difficult financial times using the catalogue as a showcase of what we could offer. However, whilst trying to expand the market, we had to keep on track of existing orders. This meant some days coming to work a little more casual and loading eleven tonnes of raisins into a container by hand or packing boxes filled with the traditional Chilean smoked spice, Merken. I really got to experience and work in each aspect of the exporting process.

Comparte is a business that is constantly innovating and adapting to the new situations it faces. During the three months I have been here I helped set up the soon to be opened shop which aims to try and sell our products here in Santiago, generating an idea of Fairtrade in Chile. Also I have been helping to design corporate gift sets to sell to the larger corporations here in Chile, another way of getting the idea of Fairtrade known in the country. Every day I am blown away by the amount of projects that are being conceived and worked on whilst maintaining sales abroad and managing exports. It is a real testament to the hard work of everyone in the office. For me, working in such a small office has its advantages because I have been able to get to know everyone during lunch time chats. With many people working here for over fifteen years, it really is like a family offering each other support and without this network I’m not sure that they could achieve such incredible things.

Although my 42.5 hour week dominates my time, my experience in Chile has not been limited to the confines of Tegualda 1571. I chose to live in student residences and through those I’ve been able to meet people from all over the world, even if the majority here in Santiago are from France. Moving house and neighbourhoods one month in because of the threat of demolition and learning how to cook for myself everyday have been some of the more challenging aspects of my life here. Not to mention the lack of heating in all of Chile’s buildings and the artic like nights with several blankets. However, despite all this, I wouldn’t change it for the world and it has helped me to appreciate the cultural differences that exist between different countries. Meal times, office conduct and how kiwis are eaten are just some of the differences I’ve found between the UK and Chile. However, these differences have also allowed for mutual sharing and learning. At lunchtime, I’d share photos of where I’m from, tell my colleagues about what it’s like to be in Britain and occasionally I’d bake the odd British classic such as scones or bread and butter pudding with custard. In return, I’d find out what Chileans think of various issues, their history and get recommendations of what to do at the weekends, and most importantly, where to find the best empanadas.

At the weekends I discovered how wonderful and rewarding Santiago is as a city. It is filled with a huge amount of culture, museums, and beautiful parks. I’ve climbed Cerro San Cristobal, visited La Moneda, learnt about the era of Pinochet and the dictatorship and even got to sample some wine in the nearby vineyards. At night, I’ve drunk Terremotos in La Piojera and spent a night in a communist themed Latin bar. I’ve also witnessed the social unrest of the students and watched with great interest the protests for better quality education, gay rights and for a government with a greater social responsibility towards its people. My first time living in a big city has certainly not disappointed; not even the smog which plagues Santiago has put me off.

Further afield from the capital, I’ve been to Valaparaiso to visit the house of Pablo Neruda, Chile’s most famous poet, and went north to see the Atacama Desert, a must-see in any guide book. At the time of writing I still have two weeks left and plan to visit Pucón in the south and make the most of my time left here.

Traveling and sightseeing have featured in my time here but it really has been the work that has taken up the majority of my time, of which I have loved every second. Without working here I would never have known about the way some producers in Chile live, or about the FDA regulations on importing food and I certainly would not have been able to begin to tell you about how the principles of Fairtrade are applied in the real world. Now, I could chat to you for hours about any of these.

Fairtrade guarantees a fair price to producers who are so often at the mercy of the market price whilst establishing long term relationships based on a mutual trust and respect. Furthermore, their products are of an amazingly high quality. The jewellery I have seen could be sold in some of the most upmarket shops and the food is some of the best I’ve tasted. This incredibly high standard of quality comes from, in my opinion, a passion for the product that the artisan is making. When I have met them, you just have to ask them about their product and they are immediately enthused that people are interested in their product. They believe in what they are producing and that belief manifests itself in the product. In our food products, the majority are organic or made with the upmost respect for the environment which, combined with Fairtrade, is a sustainable way of doing business.

Leaving Comparte will be a very sad occasion for me because these last few months I have been working here I feel as if I have become part of a team, a movement to support the artisans and small producers of Chile. I’ve learnt lessons that I will take with me for the rest of my life and experienced things that I may not get the chance to again. However, I am convinced that with the hard work and dedication of everyone at Comparte, their work will continue to flourish which in turn will support some of the most vulnerable producers and artisans, giving them a presence in both international and domestic markets.

Name: Benjamin Hindson

Age: 20

Nationality: British

Walk of life / Occupation: Student at the University of St Andrews – MA (Hons) Modern Languages (French & Spanish) with International Relations

Time in Chile: June – August 2011

Why I am interested in working with Comparte: I have always been fascinated by the concept of Fair Trade and how changing our buying habits can really have huge benefits for small producers. Working with Comparte gave me the opportunity to see those benefits first hand and be actively involved in the Fairtrade market.

How I learned of Comparte: On the internship section of idealist.org

Hobbies: Traveling & Cooking

Dreams: To keep experiencing new things in the world and see as much of it as possible!

Favourite Chilean Food: It would either be Lomo a la Pobre or Chorillana.

Dressed like a rock star, Salomé Berríos’ edgy work does not stray far from her appearance.  She began working as an artisan immediately after finishing her fashion design degree and took her sales to the streets of Santiago.  Countless times of being removed by local police did not stop her from using this public space to make a living.  She noted that 2010 was a particularly difficult year to sell in the street with increasingly strict police enforcement.

Now she prefers to sell in local fairs and recently signed a lease for a smal stand in downtown Santiago’s largest artisan market. Despite the high costs associated with these spaces, Salomé is making them work and often shares them with other artisan friends. Usually, these stands are only accessible for larger retailers; rarely, will you see an artisan with their own stand.

Formalizing her work has given Salomé more control of her workshop without the daily threat of police prosecution.  Her work with Comparte is an important part of this step, giving her another selling opportunity.  Since participating in Comparte’s 2010 design program with FOSIS, Salomé has already received several orders and promising feedback.

Click here to see products from Salomé’s workshop

New trends and tradition are brought together in the Santiago workshop of Margarita Zaldivar who has been working as a textile and ceramics designer since 1987.  Her work in Fair Trade began with the Chilean organization Fundación Solidaridad in guiding the designs of several women’s weaving cooperatives.  Over her 13 years of dedication, she began to study ceramics and create her own pieces.  As professional textile designer, she noted the importance of understanding the techniques used in order to create and apply new designs.

In 2000, Margarita decided to work independently in order to better accommodate her busy family’s schedule.  She began to work with the Chilean government, Comparte and foreign designers in several projects that would introduce new lines of products from the artisan ceramics village of Pomaire.  Margarita worked closely along traditional lines of production, balancing out the industrial designs often presented by foreign designers not familiar with the technical range of  the Pomaire workshop.  She also began to bring back the use of engobe, which was left behind in the 70s for more a more industrial production.  Engobe is a clay, water and mineral mixture that gives the ceramic a shined and less porous finish.  Today, Margarita continues to work with this technique in Pomaire and her own workshop.

Click here to see products from Margarita’s workshop

Given the beauty of her surrounding environment, it is little wonder that Maritza Quintero produces such one-of-a-kind work.

She has been creating fused glass art in her workshop in the hills of Valparaiso since 1997.  Before this, she studied for five years at the University of Fine Arts and has subsequently continued to develop her skills on her own. She prefers to follow her own style, while always staying informed of new techniques.  She works seven days a week and up to twelve hours per day, though her sister helps her when she is particularly busy (such as in April and August).

Her adaptation to a more intensive process and her capacity for impressive production has resulted in a great increase in her sales and has also improved her standard of living. She now travels a lot and participates in both local and international artisans fairs in order to stay on top of different trends.  Approximately 70% of her pieces are sold overseas.  She also works with SERCOTEC and has organised local exhibitions of ceramic, glass and enamelled works in conjunction with artisan Patricia Saez (another Compartesano) and five other women.

Her production process consists of cutting, cleaning, designing and enameling the glass.  These sheets are placed upon white clay moulds and then fired in an electric oven at 700°C for six hours.  Through this, she is able to create mobiles, candelabras, lamps, incense holders, necklaces, rings and ashtrays.  Moreover, she is always seeking new colours to play with, resulting in pieces that are not only delightfully beautiful, but also highly original.

Click here to see products from Maritza’s workshop

Arte Vitrofusión is located in the town ‘la Obra’ in the picturesque Cajón de Maipo approximately 1 hour from Santiago de Chile. The majority of the products produced in the workshop are sold nationally but approximately 30% are sold in Europe, particularly Spain.

Guillermo enjoys spending his free time hiking and camping in the mountains. His dream is to one day own a mobile home large enough to incorporate and small workspace and travel around the world making and selling artisanal products.

Click here to see more products from Arte Vitrofusión

Written and Translated by Ben.

Her workshop is located in the suburb La Cisterna in Santiago where she lives with her son and daughter. She mainly sells her products in local markets and nationally however she enjoys the opportunity to sell products in different countries. When orders are slow Olimpia is able to supplement her income by giving other classes and training other artisans.

In her spare time Olimpia enjoys to cook and to tinker in her workshop, particularly inventing new pieces and improving the quality and process of production of existing pieces. One day she hopes that her business will grow enough so that she will be able to own her own jewellery store.

Click here for more products by Rosario Campbell

Written and Translated by Ben.

Their workshop is located in Concón, a town located a short bus ride from Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, where Rosario lives with her husband and two daughters. Of the products produced here approximately 50% are sold in Chile and the remainder abroad.

In their spare time Rosario’s family enjoy listening to, playing and composing music and spending time at the beach. For the future Rosario hopes to grow her business and to ultimately achieve financial security.

Click here for more products by Rosario Campbell

Written and Translated by ben

Estela Vazquez lives in Los Copihues, a town located in the highest part of a hill in Talcahuano.  I arrived to her house at around 7:30 in the evening, against the advice from many the people there, who warned me against walking to her house alone at night, but when I got off the bus, I just found a little street with small houses, a bit dark, but with many friendly neighbors that kindly showed me how to get to her house.

Estela lives with her husband and kids, and despite just returning to the house after a long day of work, she invited me to chat about her current situation over a delicious cup of tea.  Eventhough the region was pretty damaged by the earthquake, she fortunately hasn’t suffered a lot, and neither has her workshop.

Estela has been producing wooden mobiles, hand-painted that she markets among neighbors, friends, and other acquaintances.  And given the fact that her sales have reduced dramatically because of the earthquake, she is now working temporarily in a preschool in order to generate enough income to pay for her children’s education.

She tells me that she doesn’t have any immediate needs, only that she wants to be able to work doing what she likes, her handicrafts.

I left just past 9 pm with a light drizzle and a brief aftershock.

Click here to see products from Estela Vázquez’s workshop

By: Margarita Baptista

Translation: Johanne Dolle

The interview with Patricia Herrera was the easiest to date. She lives very close to where I was staying in Concepción, a place midway between Conce and Talcahuano, on a block with calm streets and small houses.

Patricia lives with her 10 and 16 year old sons and Gutemberg, a very nice and independent deutsch hound.  She works in jewelry, an activity that she juggles with housework and her role as mother/father. Her workshop is very small and part of her living room. There she works with copper and silver, making rings and bows.

She realizes that an artisan’s work is solitary and because of this she enjoys times of exchange, participating in art fairs and associations with artisans in her area.  After the earthquake several of her main sale outlets were closed and since she didn’t have enough money, access to prime materials was too difficult to keep working.

Patricia seems like a strong and resolute woman — active and enterprising – someone who is sure to rise above the complicated situation she’s facing.

Click here to see products from Patricia Herrera’s workshop

By: Margarita Baptista

Translation: Jessica Carey-Webb