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The uncertain future of FairMail morocco

Monday, March 18th, 2013

FairMail Morocco teenagers in action in November 2012

Unfortunately FairMail has had to decide to not continue with the photography classes in Morocco for the time being. This despite the great photographs being made, the very motivated and talented teenagers, the smooth cooperation with the local NGO’s and the great response by the local community. So why did we take this decision?

When we started FairMail in Morocco in October 2012 we were still not sure if the sale of FairMail pictures and cards would grow sufficiently the coming months to be able to sustainably finance the new operations, plus earn enough money to pay for the educational needs of the new teenagers. Positive minded as we are and with start-up money secured by winning the ASN World Prize we decided to try anyway. With hope for positive sales developments in the Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK. To be sure we wouldn’t create unrealistic expectations we explained to the teenagers that we would conduct a 2 month pilot project and evaluate in February 2013 if we could sustainably establish FairMail Morocco or not.

The development of sales, although still growing, did not grow as we expected. This put us in a dilemma: either continue with more teenagers from Morocco but diluting the earnings of the current teenagers in Peru and India or decide not to extend the cooperation with the new Moroccan teenagers so the teenagers in Peru and India would not see their income affected. In the end we choose for the second option as the “least bad option”. Mainly because due to FairMail some teenagers in Peru and India have just started expensive education. We would feel horrible if they wouldn’t be able to finish due to their funds running out, only because we felt the urge to “increase FairMail’s impact”. So instead of deciding to increase the quantity of FairMail’s impact to more teenagers we decided to secure the quality of FairMail’s impact to our current teenagers.

One of the four first Moroccan FairMail cards now on the market

So what does this mean for the Moroccan teenagers? We told them last week and of course they were disappointed (but also happy with their first cards!). We told them they cannot submit new pictures to FairMail, but we will keep trying to sell the pictures they already made. Of course they will still receive 50% of the profits made. With no overhead office costs in Morocco we believe there will be nice profits for them. We have made arrangements that they can receive their share of the profits to spend on their education when they want to. And that we can keep control that they actually spend it on education like we promise on our cards.

All in all not a nice development at all and one of the sadder decisions we have had to make. We hope however that our current and future customers will make it possible to return to Morocco in the future and work with the great existing potential there!

FairMail founders Peter and Janneke will remain in Morocco until May 2013 to finish things off and run FairMail’s international office on-line. After that they will focus again on production in Peru, India and international sales.

Tags: Morocco
Posted in FairMail, Morocco | No Comments »

Daring to ask “How can you help FairMail?”

Monday, March 18th, 2013

Helping out FairMail

Dare to Ask is a popular phenomenon in the Netherlands based on the idea that when people ask for what they truly want, the chances they will actually get it increases considerably. After all, there are plenty of people that are more than happy to help you along in realizing your dream. Imagine all the missed opportunities of people being happy to share exactly what you need for free, but not doing it because they didn’t have a clue you were looking for it. The scale of missed opportunities on a global level is huge! Dare to Ask makes “social surplus” visible and put it to good use.

In other words; why not share with FairMail what you don’t use and ask for what you could use that FairMail might have “lying around”? Below you can find a list of things FairMail could use that perhaps you can help us find:

– PR and Marketing advise. We could use the help of a professional PR agency to help us make our promotional activities more effective. We have a great story to tell, but how do we get it out there?

– Video of FairMail teenagers. On our new website (coming soon!) we want to include a personal video about each FairMail teenager on their personal profile page. Who would like to dive into their lives and tell their personal stories in short 1 minute videos?

Volunteer as photography trainer

– Volunteer Photography Trainers in Peru. The FairMail team in Peru is looking for enthusiastic volunteers with a passion for photography, who speak Spanish and have 6 weeks to give photography training in Peru. Do you know anyone looking for this enriching experience?

– Television and media contacts. For our upcoming promotion tour with the two Peruvian FairMail teenagers we are looking for journalists and other media contacts in Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Switzerland.

– Things to do for our teenagers during Promotion tour. For our upcoming promotion tour with the two Peruvian FairMail teenagers we are looking for places to visit and people to guide us. Places that are interesting for the teenagers to see (schools, cities, landmarks), but also places where they can promote their cards (festivals, shops, fair trade towns). Do you live in Germany, France, The Netherlands, Belgium or Switzerland and would you like to help make this the teenagers’ trip of a life time, then please get in contact with us!

If you have any suggestions, please get in contact with us by clicking here.

Tags: help, in the media, promotion, video
Posted in FairMail | No Comments »

Two Peruvian teenagers visit Europe for promotional tour

Monday, March 18th, 2013

FairMail India teenager Dhiraj during 2012 Promotional tour

For the fourth time FairMail is organizing a European promotional tour with the assistance of two of our teenage photographers. The goals are to spread the unique story behind FairMail’s greeting cards and to take valuable knowledge about the European card market back to the other photographers in Peru and India so they can adapt their product even better to the wishes of their customers. Who could do this better than the teenagers themselves?

That is why after a difficult selection procedure two Peruvian teenagers were selected to make the trip of their life to 5 European countries in August and September of 2013. Yuli and Yomira where selected on the basis of their English skills, their motivation and their ability to communicate the story behind their cards.

Yomira showing her FairMail Cards

The tour will start on the 23rd of August in Amsterdam and end on the 12^th of September in Amsterdam again. We are still working on the definitive program, but the idea is to promote their cards and visit their customers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Germany. Stay tuned to our Facebook and this blog for the latest details about the program.

Yuli showing her FairMail Cards

To make the trip a success we are still looking for people who can help us with:

– PR and Marketing advise. We could use the help of a professional PR agency to help us make the tour more effective. We are investing a lot of money in getting the teenagers over here, but how do we make it a good investment?

– Television and media contacts. We are looking for journalists and other media contacts in Germany, France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Switzerland to give them the opportunity to interview the teenagers.

– Things to do for our teenagers during Promotion tour. We are looking for places to visit and people to guide us. Places that are interesting for the teenagers to see (schools, cities, landmarks), but also places where they can promote their cards (festivals, shops, fair trade towns). Do you live in Germany, France, The Netherlands, Belgium or Switzerland and would you like to help make this the teenager’s trip of a life time, then please get in contact with us!

If you have any suggestions, please get in contact with us by clicking here.

Tags: Belgium, France, Germany, promotion, yomira, yuli
Posted in FairMail, France, Germany, Peru | No Comments »

Earnings FairMail teenagers in 2012

Monday, March 18th, 2013

20.992 Euro. That is the total amount the 44 FairMail teenagers in Peru, India and Morocco earned from the sale of their picture and greetings cards in 2012 for their education, housing and medical funds. This makes the total amount earned by the teenagers since the start of FairMail in July 2006 add up to 95.779 euro.

Akaash in his old mechanics workshop

The biggest earner in India was Akaash who earned 1.667 euro in 2012 which he invested in his private tutorship (when he started FairMail he was not attending school because he could not read and write) and in his motorcycle repair shop he runs with his father. This year they decided to buy a bigger and better situated piece of land where they could expand their business and offer more services.

Elmer with his laptop and graphic design certificates

The biggest earner in Peru was Elmer who earned 1.449 euro in 2012 which he invested in preparing for and entering the private Cesar Vallejo University to study communication sciences. Despite passing all his first year courses he took the brave decision to quit after the first year and choose a more practical graphic design and photography academy to pursue his dreams.

Sandhya doing her homework at home

The Indian girl with the highest earnings in 2012 was Sandhya who earned 1.330 euro in 2012. She used this money to pay for her school necessities and private tuition. But the majority she added to her savings (no amounting up to 2.191 euro) which she will use after finishing high school hoping to prepare for and enter medical school.

Yuli in front of her university

In Peru the highest female earnings were achieved by Yuli who earned 1.203 euro in 2012. She used the money to prepare for and enter Trujillo’s national university to study languages to become a language teacher in the future. She still has 4 more years to go and will need all the sales she can get to finish her career.

Tags: Akaash, earnings, elmer, results, sandhya, yuli
Posted in FairMail, India, Morocco, Peru | No Comments »

Information sessions about FairMail’s photography trips

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Helping out on a photography trip

Are you looking for an original holiday destination this year? Why not consider coming along on one of FairMail’s photography trips?

Travelling together with the FairMail teenagers to off-the-beaten-track destinations gives you a unique insight into real life in Peru and India. The good thing is you don’t only treat yourself to a great holiday, but also one of the teenagers who you sponsor with your booking.

Learn more by clicking here or participate in one of the two information sessions on the 9^th of February or the 25^th of May in the Netherlands.

For more information or to register for an information session click here.

Tags: India, Peru, photography travels
Posted in FairMail, India, Peru | No Comments »

First “stop motion video” made during photography trip

Monday, February 4th, 2013

The main goal of FairMail’s photography trips is to take new pictures for the card collections. But every now and then we try something different to keep the kids fresh and develop their creativity. During the last trip this resulted in FairMail’s first “stop motion video”.

With more than 250 pictures each, two groups of teenagers made two different animated videos: One nature video about a flower which falls in love and one comedy about a transsexual conquering the girl’s hearts.

Go to FairMail’s YouTube channel to view them both.

For more pictures of the last photography trip to Chachapoyas, Peru, check FairMail’s Facebook page.

Tags: photography travels, stop motion, teenagers
Posted in FairMail, Peru | No Comments »

Peruvian FairMail teenagers start own bakery business

Monday, February 4th, 2013

Patricia and Betty putting their cakes in the oven

Two of the Peruvian FairMail teenagers who left FairMail at the end of 2012 (due to reaching the age limit) have started on a new endeavor: starting a bakery business together.Patricia used her FairMail earnings to study gastronomy and with the help of one of FairMail’s partners ACJ she also followed a bakery course. Betty used her earnings to study business administration. With Patricia’s creativity and entrepreneurial spirit and Betty’s structured way of working and understanding of finances they could be the perfect match. We asked them how they came up with the idea and what they are up to:

How did you get the idea to start a cake bakery business?

Patty explains: “At first I wanted to start a restaurant in our home where all the mothers from the neighborhood could come and eat. But we didn’t have enough money to invest so we started selling snacks. Unfortunately that didn’t go very well. I also made cakes for me and my family now and then. The neighbors who would join us said the cakes where delicious and asked why we didn’t start to sell cakes. At home I have a small oven, but it is too small. But at a nearby NGO (ACJ El Milagro) they have a professional bakery kitchen and they let me use their oven. Also they helped me with a bakery course where I learned a lot of things which I am using now.”

Betty making some delicious dough

And how did you end up joining Betty?

Betty explains: “Patty asked me a long time ago if I wanted to help. She was looking for someone that could assist her, or would be her business partner. But at that time I had problems at home so I didn’t say yes then. But now I have decided to join her and now we do everything 50/50.”

So what is the name of your company?

“We don’t know yet unfortunately. All ideas are welcome!”

Check FairMail’s facebook to join in the online discussion and voting for a new name for Betty and Patty’s company.

How is business going for you now?

“At this moment we are baking about 10 cakes per week. We sell them at 10 soles (about 3 euro) while they cost us around 5 soles to make. It is a lot of work because we make the batter by hand. First we bought small amounts of ingredients, but now we have invested in buying a big bag of flower and sugar so the production price goes down and we make more profit. We also want to buy more cake molds as now we have only 4. We want to grow so we hope that everyone in the neighborhood knows about us soon and orders with us!”

Proud Patricia showing her soon-to-be-cak

Even though Patricia and Betty are no longer active as photographers for FairMail they keep earning money with the sale of their cards and photo’s. Over the coming months they will invest their earnings in their business. We wish Patricia and Betty all the best with their new endeavor and many more cakes to come!

Tags: betty, business, patricia, Peru, results, teenagers
Posted in FairMail, Peru | No Comments »

Who really takes the pictures on the FairMail cards?

Saturday, January 26th, 2013

Last week one of our teenagers received an email from a customer who bought his card, asking him if it is really true that he took the picture on the card. Good question we thought! And time to show some proof that it is really the FairMail kids who are taking these amazing, professional pictures. Despite never having held a camera before in their whole life before they entered FairMail a few months earlier.

Below you can find a few examples of FairMail Cards where we happened to be around taking pictures of some of the action. Convinced now?