Fairtrade Interns Screen Documentary
Monday night, Umbra Fairtrade interns Susanne Khatib, Susanna Kroll, Jessica Guerrero screened “The Dark Side of Chocolate” at ONAOSI, a foundation for Italian students, for an international audience.
Produced in 2010, the documentary film treats of the exploitation and slave trading of African children to harvest cocoa beans.
The interns then led a discussion about the documentary and its significance before passing out samples of Fairtrade chocolate from Monimbò, the local Fairtrade cooperative where the interns volunteer.
“The interns did a great job with the introduction in Italian and the taste testing,” Falk said. “They’re learning a lot.’
Guided by Umbra Professor Giordana Pulcini, the Fairtrade interns in the INIT 350 Academic Internship and Seminar course work with Monimbò to organize a variety of cultural events, rallies, and school-awareness campaigns. Throughout the semester, interns learn about Fairtrade philosophy and products, interact with customers, help other volunteers with bottega operations, and assist with Fairtrade promotion and major seasonal events. Fairtrade promotes “better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world,” according to its website.