ESAF and International Resources for Fairer Trade (IRFT) jointly organized a Fair Trade Program - Pro-sustain, at Thrissur (Mannuthy) on Dec 21 – 24, 2011. K. Paul Thomas, Managing Director, ESAF Microfinance inaugurated the program. Gaynor Peas, CEO IRFT visited the venue on December 22, 2011. The program was funded by European Union and other social-oriented agencies like Hivos, FTF-India & Shop for Change gave outside support to the program. The theme of the program was 'building environmentally sustainable production and consumption practices'.
The program was an opportunity to inform local people on fair trade and almost 6000 people participated. K. Paul Thomas, Managing Director, ESAF Microfinance said that the success of the event showed that it could be considered for an annual festival.
Products made by ESAF sangam members using eco-friendly handicrafts (made out of screw pine, jute, bamboo, grass, handmade paper), ethnic food items, hybrid varieties of plant seeds & seedlings etc. were displayed and sold in the program. 78 women SHG members have benefitted from the Christmas trade. Short films on fair trade were also shown in the venue. Products made by artisans of Jharkhand were also displayed in the program. Christmas gifts sponsored by ESAF and IRFT were distributed to all the participants.