Adel Fair Trade
Adel Fair Trade is a Palestinian NGO that CRS helped launch in 2011 with a total of $100,000 in funding from the CRS Fair Trade Fund. The goal of the organization is to help small producers increase their standard of living. They receive training and support in their efforts to provide customers in the West Bank healthy and high-quality products. The products include cheese, embroidery, jams, olive oil, and lemonade. As of May 2013, Adel has reached many benchmarks in its organizational development: a market research study was conducted, a strategic plan for the organization was created, and 110 producers—including vulnerable women in the West Bank—were trained in the principles of fair trade as well as techniques for creating healthy and marketable products. Sales campaigns have been conducted to reach individual consumers, and Adel is also helping create market channels for large institutions such as college campuses. For example, Adel won a bid worth $12,266 to provide Palestinian municipalities olive oil for the “Aid Our People in Gaza” campaign.