What Was Apartheid?
Apartheid was a system that existed in South Africa that separated people based on their ethnicity and skin colour. It became law after the National Party won the election in 1948. They declared many areas as only for white people, and discriminated against people of colour (POC).
We all hate Professor Umbridge and how she treated Harry. Now you can freak out your mum and your friends with this temporary tattoo from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (#1). And for those of you who like wearing clothes inspired by your fave books, try this lovely Very Hungry Caterpillar rucksack from Asda (#3), or scare away snakes, foxes and owls with these Gruffalo slippers (#2) – complete with purple spikes and the wart on the end of his nose!
If you’re a comic book lover, you’re spoilt for choice! We love this Batman umbrella from M&S (#4) and this Spiderman water bottle rocks (#7). (Ignore the ‘for boys’ and ‘for girls’, and just get what YOU like.) Sport your favourite superhero on your iPhone with a comic book phone cover like this one from Louby Kapow (#5) – made from real comics! – or go for Thor-inspired shoes with these ace lightning shoelace attachments from Tesco (#6).
Okaaay then I’m just, you know, gonna be talkin’ about JUDGING PEOPLE!!!!!
I’m writing about this because I get judged a lot, and I think that it is important that people stop with the labels. *cough* PERSONALITIES *cough* Anycow, these are some of the main labels which le moi will be talking about
Label No.1 “Nerd”
People that get called nerds are generally people that wear glasses and are very smart (AKA your future world leaders.) I think this is just a stupid label because we all know that nerd is used by people who are just trying to cover up the fact that they don’t feel clever around this particular person. “Nerds” also people who play Pokémon (respect my fellow Pokémon players) and watch anime.
Label No.2 “Emo”
This is a name that I get called a lot. So called “emos” are people that generally wear a lot of black and listen to music such as Motionless in White, Black Veil Brides and Asking Alexandria. The stupid thing about this label is that as we all know “Emo” is just short for emotional and, let’s get one thing straight, last time I checked “emotional” was a state of mind not a fashion trend. “Emos” also get mistaken for “scene kids” and “Goths”.
Label No.3 “Scene”
WOW! Yet another label I get called! Anycow “scene Kids” are generally people that are obsessed with Pokémon, Hello Kitty and Rainbows and Unicorns and all that Jazz. So called “Scene Kids” listen to music such as Jeffree Star, Blood on the Dance Floor and Matthew Lush. They say stuff like “ZOMG!” And “K’BAI!” They are normally loud and random.
Label No.4 “Goth”
Often mistaken for “emos,” people that are generally called “Goths” also wear a lot of black and listen to music such as Nine Inch Nails, Sisters of Mercy and The Cure. Goths were originally a Germanic tribe who invaded the Roman Empire. SERIOUSLY PEOPLE!!!!!! Also, while I’m on the topic, I have just found the most epic definition of a “Goth” on Urban Dictionary:
“Goth
Just another person in this world… Lives, breathes, dies.
THE END
Random person 1: Yo dude look at the Goth chick!
Random person2: Why?
Random person 2: Eh…”
So anycow that’s it and don’t judge!!!! All together now: Don’t matter what you look like don’t matter what you wear. (Words from the amazing Mama Odi from The Princess and The Frog. GREAT FILM GUYS!!!!!)
(PS no hate to the bands/labels mentioned.)
Elisabeth is 13 years old and this topic is very important to her. What do you think?
Until recently I lived in St Lucia, a small island in the Eastern Caribbean. A beautiful piece of paradise, St Lucia is one of the many islands in that part of the world that has relied for years on a combination of income from tourism and the sales of its fruit and vegetables – specifically bananas – to gives its people a reasonable standing of living. Life on these small islands is tough, they are very vulnerable to things like hurricanes and outside events that stop tourists coming on holiday. But as long as people bought their produce, the people of St Lucia were able to get by and children were able to go to school and get a good education.
Unfortunately, things changed. A few years ago, a change in trade laws meant that the UK stopped buying so many of their bananas from St Lucia and other islands in that part of the Caribbean – known as the Windward Islands – and started buying more of them from Latin America and West Africa.
Supermarkets in this country also became increasingly competitive and wanted to offer their customers cheaper produce to buy. As bananas have always traditionally been one of the most popular items for supermarket shoppers, these were offered at lower and lower prices – meaning the farmers who were growing them were getting paid less and all the people who relied on their income were finding it harder and harder to survive.
This is where Fairtrade stepped in. As an organisation, the Fairtrade Foundation ensures that farmers and other producers are offered a fair and stable price for their goods – and at the same time help improve the working and living conditions of the workers and their families.
After the changes to the trading laws meant fewer bananas were bought from St Lucia and the other islands, the number of banana farmers dropped from 27,000 to around 4,000 – which led to high unemployment, youth unrest and an increase in poverty. But the first consignment of Fairtrade bananas was shipped to the UK in 2000 and since then volumes have grown until today more than 90% of the farmers in the Windwards belong to a Fairtrade group. The knowledge that they will get a good price for their fruit has changed the lives of the farmers. Now they can afford things that we take for granted, like health care and decent education for their children. It also means they can use the money to invest in expanding into other areas and hopefully build back up the number of people employed in this work.
Of course Fairtrade isn’t just about bananas from the Caribbean – you can now buy a huge range of goods including chocolate, flowers, rice, sugar, even beauty products all stamped with the Fairtrade logo from countries across the globe. And every time you do so, you know you are helping someone like the banana farmers to build a better future for themselves and their families.
But as well as buying Fairtrade goods, another way to get involved is to turn your own school into a Fairtrade school.
A Fairtrade school is one that uses Fairtrade products as far as possible, commits itself to learning about how global trade works and why Fairtrade is important and takes action for Fairtrade in the school and wider community. Already, there are nearly 500 schools with Fairtrade status, with many more going through the process to gain certification.
As well as all the obvious reasons for doing it – ie helping the world become a fairer place and helping to reduce poverty – being part of a campaign to get your own school to become a Fairtrade School has many benefits closer to home. It could help you to develop your own skills, have a positive influence on your local school community and – above all – it can be great fun.
For more information on Fairtrade schools you can check out the Fairtrade Schools website
Check out the Fairtrade website to find out what other goods are available.
Traidcraft is anorganisation that campaigns for Fairtrade and can help your school to become a Fairtrade school.
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Clara is a trained journalist who worked in newspapers for several years before leaving the profession to travel round the world. On her return to the UK, she joined the Foreign Office where she worked in London and then at the British High Commission in Kingston, Jamaica. In 2005 she had her first daughter, followed by her second in 2007. She left the FCO to become a stay at home mother and to accompany her husband on postings to Pakistan and St Lucia. Now living back in the UK, she is currently training to be an antenatal teacher, writing freelance and planning a book about trailing spouses.
