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Oxfam gets sweet over Valentine

If you really want to show your love this Valentine's Day, Oxfam suggests a gift of chocolate that means as much to your beloved as it does to the people who grew the cocoa. This year, give Fairtrade chocolate.

Fairtrade chocolate means that cocoa farmers get a stable price that is high enough to support their families and provide basic services like education and healthcare in their communities. New Zealanders are catching onto this sweet solution to poverty—sales of Fairtrade chocolate have increased by 2000 percent in the past two years.

"People do have a choice and they are choosing to make sure that cocoa farmers are getting a fair deal. We've already collected over 7000 petition cards supporting Fairtrade chocolate," says Linda Broom, Oxfam New Zealand's Fair Trade Coordinator.

Fairtrade chocolate is available in Trade Aid stores and a growing number of supermarkets. "We're looking forward to the time when Fairtrade chocolate is available in every supermarket and every dairy," adds Linda.

If your Valentine is a dedicated chocolate lover, how about a present that helps cocoa farmers become Fairtrade Certified? With Oxfam Unwrapped, your loved one will receive a card symbolizing your gift and together you'll ensure that these farmers get a fair price for producing your favourite treats. Get a special pressie for that special someone – and say "I care" to the world. Check out www.oxfamunwrapped.org.nz.

Perhaps you really want your sweetheart to bake you some chocolate chip cookies. Make a clever and caring suggestion with a new cookbook from Goodbooks, the online bookseller with a conscience. They offer free delivery, no mark up, and all of the profits support Oxfam. For a self serving gift, visit www.goodbooksnz.co.nz.

Oxfam works with poor communities in over 100 countries, linking local-level action with international campaigns for basic rights to achieve a safer, fairer and more sustainable world.

ENDS

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