Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! Hopefully, many of you were the recipients of your favorite treats today - quite possibly flowers! If you did get flowers and if they have the Whole Trade Guarantee™ seal on them, you can know that they helped support communities and families (and moms!) where they were produced. Here is the story of one mom behind the flowers.Maria lives in Juan Pablo Sesundo, Colombia and works on a farm producing Whole Trade Guarantee flowers. She has been with the farm for 11 years (and working in the flower industry for 22 years). Maria works the flower beds in the greenhouse, maintains the crop and harvests the flowers. "Every day I come to work with a positive attitude filled with love that makes me want to do my best. Our farm is filled with people who love their job and are very devoted to producing the best and most beautiful flowers that we can," says Maria.
Maria and her family have benefited from the farm's foundation, as it has provided her children with an education, daily meals and healthcare. Each purchase of Whole Trade Guarantee flowers supports this foundation and families such as Maria's. "This has been a blessing for me and my family. Thanks to the foundation I was able to give my three children the best possible education. Without the foundation, this would not be possible." Her two sons currently attend school, while her oldest daughter has graduated and is now continuing her studies. "Our children are given not only a good education but are provided with daily good balanced meals. This has taught good values and makes us feel part of the farm's family."
When asked what she would tell customers buying their flowers in the U.S., Maria says: "By buying flowers from our company, that behind each flower there is a lot of love and dedication, that every flower picked and grown is a sign of love knowing that we care and has helped and benefited us."Happy Mother's Day!
