Cocoa farmers get first taste of chocolate

Richard Quest, a journalist went to Abidjan on the Ivory Coast in Africa to do a report about the economics of chocolate, because it is a country where cocoa beans are produced.

He contacted farmers that produce cocoa beans and learnt that they did not know exactly what they were creating. He saw that the people were very poor, living in bad circumstances and he never say any chocolate. They had never tasted any and produced it for their whole life. So he offered them to taste a piece of a Kit Kat bar. They all were very  contented, laughing and cheering.

Then they asked about the price for a Kit Kat and were astonished that it is so expensive when they get so few for it.

It is incredible that these farmers do not know what they are producing and how the product is once finished. It is a shame and it seems the rich countries are only exploiting poor countries for their own profit, paying them little and not helping to make them live a bit better.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/27/business/freedom-cocoa-nomics-cocolate-bar/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

 

Vicente Ferrer Foundation

The Vicente Ferrer Foundation is on governmental development organisation in one of the poorest areas of India, the rural area of Andhra Pradesh in the south of India. It was founded by Vicente Ferrer, a catalan missioner in 1969 in order to improve the living conditions of the most discriminated community in the hindy system of casts: the Dalits, also called “the untouchables”. They help them with their basic needs, such as water supply, planting, medical care, free school for boys and girls. The organisation is now benefitting about two and a half million people. The whole project is financed by donations from spanish companies and privat people. You can be the godfather/mother of a child paying a small amount each month to help. So they do not need to work when they are so small with only 5 or 6 years.

I know the organisation of Vicente Ferrer because or family is regularly sending packages and letters to a boy called Murali. He is now 15 and we got to know him through the organisation about 11 years ago when he was 4 years old. Every year we send him clothes, toys and school plies and they send us a photo and a letter of him. He writes in “telugu”, we cannot read or understand it, but it is translated by a volunteer.

 

http://www.fundacionvicenteferrer.org/en/about-us/NGDO

Winter olympic games in Sochi

On February 7th the winter olympic games in Sochi sarted with a lovely opening ceremony.

Sochi is a town in Russia where usually the russians pass summer holidays, as it is one of the warmest places in Russia, directly near the Black Sea, but there are also high mountains in the area and it snows in winter.

They did a magnific show with dancers on rollerblades, ballet, artistic performances, all the time with special illumination, large helium inflated elements representing russian buildings, landscapres floating through the air.

The tree mascots were presented, a big bear, a beautiful white rabbit and a leopard, all of them moving by remote control.

Then all the participating athletes entered the stadium, each nation carrying a flag of its country. In the end the Olympic torch was brought by an athlete and they lighted the Olympic fire, which kept burning during the 2 weeks of the games. Afterwards a magnificent firework finished the opening ceremony.

I like Olympic games and saw some of the sport. I prefer sky racing and especially the new competitions with snow boards and jumping. Others as for example curling I find a bit boring.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/feb/07/sochi-2014-winter-olympics-opening-ceremony-live