The Story of Trade plus Aid


In 1992 the site of a starving child dying in its mother's arms while they waited for medical assistance in northern Ghana was the catalyst for Charlotte di Vita to develop an international fundraising organisation focused on ethical trade.

In 1997, Charlotte established a British registered charity, the Trade plus Aid® charitable trust, in order to donate surplus profits from these ethical trading initiatives to fund development projects designed to alleviate poverty.

"Ethical trading creates the opportunity for long term income and employment for disadvantaged communities, which in turn brings self-esteem," explains Charlotte. "These communities are tremendously hard-working and creative. They consider that this an enormous opportunity."

To date, Charlotte's trading ventures have enabled over US$5,500,000 to be returned to producer communities as payment for their handicrafts.

In addition, Charlotte and Trade plus Aid have committed US$420,200 to fund development projects in Africa, Asia and South America for impoverished communities that could not be directly assisted through ethical trade.

Charlotte di Vita believes that, "Poverty does not exist because there isn't enough money in the world. Poverty exists because there aren't enough people using their moneymaking skills positively."

To read about the founding of Trade plus Aid click here