Presbyterian Women in Great Bend will offer a Fair Trade Market to the community on Saturday, April 21.  
A wide variety of decorative and useful items from around the world will be provided by Ten Thousand Villages of Newton. The sale will be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.  Access to the market will be through the northeast entrance to the church at 24th and Washington.
According to Carol Woodmansee with the Presbyterian Women, the idea of fair trade originated in the 1960s as a response to the unequal terms of trade imposed upon the developing countries.
In many western countries this led to a new social movement with the aim to alleviate poverty in the Global South by building direct, sustainable relationships with disadvantaged producers and providing fair access to markets in the Global North. From this start the fair-trade movement has developed into a powerful worldwide force and is recognized as distinguishing “fair trade” products from “ordinary” ones.
The goals of fair-trade are:
• To improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of producers by improving market access, strengthening producer organizations, paying a better price and providing continuity in the trading relationship.
 • To promote development opportunities for disadvantaged producers, especially women and indigenous people, and to protect children from exploitation in the production process.
• To raise awareness among consumers of the negative effects on producers of international trade so that they exercise their purchasing power positively.
• To set an example of partnership in trade through dialogue, transparency and respect.
• To campaign for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.
• To protect human rights by promoting social justice, sound environmental practices and economic security.