About Fair & Square

We are a Non-Governmental Organisation.

Fair and Square, previously Swaziland Fair Trade (SWIFT), is a business-supporting organisation that began in 2007. We strive for the empowerment of men and women in the handcraft, food, and natural cosmetics processing sectors in Southern Africa. The services and support provided can be categorised as training, trade, and advocacy.

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Poverty is History in Eswatini.

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Overcoming poverty through training, trade and advocacy for economic justice.

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  • Practice of Fair Trade Principles.
  • Honesty and integrity.
  • Social justice.
  • Respect for culture and heritage.

    • OUR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

    As Fair and Square we:

  • Facilitate the sharing of knowledge and skills development of the fair-trade market, including product development, governance, social, economic and environmental impact and trade opportunities.
  • Facilitate the development of regional fair trade and fair-trade markets.
  • Effectively represent the interests of all fair trade producers within representative and governance structures of fair trade (including and not exclusive to FLO, WFTO and IFAT)
  • Educate stakeholders about fair trade including the identification of fairly traded products, retail outlets, fair trade principles and benefits to communities.

    • WHAT WE DO

    We capacitate and train entrepreneurs and SMEs, and we assist in identifying trade and market opportunities. Our capacity-building work includes foundational modules for start-ups, business skills modules, modules for growth, export readiness training, and specialised training, i.e., social media use, marketing, and bookkeeping. We believe in earning while you learn. We ensure that once capacitated, entrepreneurs and SMEs are able to utilise the skills learned practically by affording them market access opportunities through trade shows, buyer missions, and tours, marketing on our social media platforms, and having a space in our shops.

    Fair and Square also works in rural communities across Eswatini, training and mentoring them to assist in building skills necessary for sustainable businesses that bring about a living wage and job creation.

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    GROWING SOUTHERN AFRICAN MARKETS

    Features:

    Buyer Missions and Tours

    Through donor funding and programmes, we host physical buyer tours in Eswatini. We host buyers from all over the world and take them on a country-wide tour of many of the best artisans and entrepreneurs. These tours allow members to showcase their products and build long-lasting business relationships with buyers; they also give buyers an opportunity to get better acquainted with artisans and producers. Once these business relationships are formed, buyers can purchase products (sometimes through Fair and Square), and in turn, more entrepreneurs and SMEs are able to export their products and brands.

    Features:

    Retail Shops

    Fair and Square has two retail shops in Eswatini (Ngwenya and Swazi Candles Centre). Here, we provide members with the opportunity to sell their products in our stores in order to gain customers, market reach, and financial independence. We also facilitate the sale of handcrafted products for lower-level SMEs to buyers across the world, assisting them in exporting their products to buyers in Eswatini. As a BSO and NGO, we do not profit from shop sales; instead, we charge a levy based on the business level of the member. Our shops are strategically located in areas with a lot of tourist traffic and attractions. Our shop at Swazi Candles Centre is called Imbali; in SiSwati, this literally means flower and signifies a young and pure Swazi woman. The products in this shop are all 100% woman-made or produced

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