I've just found out about something that's a great incentive. I've a habit of grabbing the odd bar of chocolate at the train station after a long day in work. Anyway, through my work I've found out about this: STOP THE TRAFFIK: CHOCOLATE CAMPAIGN

12,000 (approximate figure) children have been trafficked into slavery in Ivory Coast, Africa. They have been abducted or sold by their parents on the promise of a better life or education. The reality is that they are taken to cocoa farms, beaten, unpaid, abused, and work in horrendous conditions. What for? So we can enjoy our bars of chocolate.

Half of the world's cocoa production comes from the Ivory Coast. One child was so beaten and abused, he was covered in red welts and sores. He was asked if he'd ever eaten chocolate, and he responded that he hadn't. When asked what he wanted to say to people who ate chocolate that he'd been enslaved for, he replied:

'I'd like them to know that when they eat their chocolate, they are eating my flesh as well.'

So -I'm sticking to Fair Trade bars of chocolate as I don't want to be guilty of supporting companies who KNOW about child slavery and abuse, but still use the same cocoa plantations. You can find a list at the STT website (mentioned above) of chocolate that is ok to eat.

Also - the following companies use child slave grown cocoa - N estle (the worst), M asterfoods (M & Ms, M ars), L indt, H ersheys, C adbury (they have some education programmes in place, but continue to use Ivory Coast cocoa)

Yes, I know I'm unashamedly preachy about this, but it annoys me that we can get wound up about what we're doing to a tree, but turn a blind eye to the abuse of children in this way. Can I please ask you to consider where you get your chocolate from - after all, it is a luxury that we've made into a necessity, and that shouldn't be the case. I know I can't make anybody here do anything, but I just wanted to make you aware that this is not some flakey politically driven cause, but it's real. Can you REALLY sacrifice a child for a bar of chocolate?

And besides, in holding out until I can get some G&B's, I'm not reaching for the S nickers or the M ilky Bars - it's doing my figure the world of good.

Thanks for reading.

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Diane & David, 9th September 2002, Carrickfergus Elim Church.

"Cats are smarter than dogs. You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow."

"People will seldom remember the words you spoke but they will always remember how you made them feel."



http://uk.photos.yahoo.com/northerndi

I never realised that went on. I will now think twice before I reach for a bar. Thanks for bringing this to my attention x

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Jenny xx

Blimey, that made me sit up and think. Agreed Di, I shall hold off the chocs until I can get some Fairtrade.

N xxx

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Nikki and Nick married 14/12/02
George Nicholas Smith born 23.9.03
Leo Philip Smith born 20.3.05

"Help!" said Eddy
"I'm scared already.
I want my bed
I want my teddy"



http://www.myspace.com/nikki_i_like_shoes

Blimey! That's enough to put even me off my chocolate buttons.

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