Celebrating International Women's Day

Angus Coull • March 7, 2025

Thanks to the women of Meru Herbs Kenya

International Women's Day falls on the 08th March 2025. This is a time to celebrate the achievements of women around the world, and for us at True Origin that means the producers of our Fair & Fine Foods. This year we are focussing on the women who produce our delicious jams, sauces and herbal teas in Kenya - Meru Herbs.

If you attended the recent 'True Origin: Live' Zoom event (Feb 25), you will have enjoyed hearing from one of the inspiring woman in our supply chain, Sally Sawaya of Meru Herbs. This is a woman led organisation in rural Kenya and is dedicated to fair trade principles with a mission to empower women, alleviate poverty and improve standards of living.

On the Zoom meeting Sally was telling us that the majority of the staff at Meru Herbs are women and they have leadership and decision making responsibilities. Depending on the season, they have 50 - 150 women farmers who do everything by hand so the simplest of tools can make the biggest difference to these women.

Meru stands as a beacon of hope for women, proving that economic empowerment, sustainability and gender equality can go hand in hand. Through fair trade, women in Meru are rewriting their future.

To find out more, you can watch Sally's talk on our YouTube channel by clicking the button below.

Sally Sawaya on True Origin Live

Karena Jarvie is a True Origin Board Member, she's also a fair trade campaigner and keen to support the women of Meru Herbs. One of her favourite Meru products is Tomato & Chilli Sauce which in this short video clip below, she uses in her family favourite dish, enchiladas.

Through the checkout donation facility on our online shop our super-supportive customers raised £864 over 3 months to help provide much needed implements to help the women at Meru Herbs in Kenya produce their hibiscus and other ingredients for their tasty jams and sauces. True Origin Partnerships organised the provision of these essential tools.

Fair Trade shop and cafe venue, Gavin's Mill has long been a supporter of the women at Meru Herbs. The Mill has hosted an evening with Meru MD, Sally Sawaya and places regular orders for the products.

"Meru Heru products are always popular with our customers at Gavin’s Mill. The jams and sauces are delicious and the story behind them inspirational.

"We were very fortunate at Gavin’s Mill to have a visit from Sally Sawaya, MD of Meru Herbs in 2023. Hearing first hand about the work going on at Meru to empower women has made the products even more popular . We are delighted to have maintained a link with Meru Herbs by supporting them through our alternative gift scheme, Gavin’s Mill Gifts -they are always one of our most popular projects".

Joyce Davidson

Pictured below are; left to right, volunteer, Bev and staff member Uta.

You can check out more about Meru Herbs and our other producer groups here.

SHOP MERU HERBS

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How to Run a True Origin Fair Trade Stall at Your Church

By Nicola Taylor • July 3, 2026

A Fair Trade stall is about so much more than selling tea, coffee and chocolate. Every purchase supports smallholder farmers and producers who are working incredibly hard to build sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change, rising fuel costs and an unpredictable global market. For many of the communities we work with, having reliable customers is essential. By running a True Origin stall at your church, you become part of that support network, helping to create regular demand for products that often aren't available in supermarkets or high street shops. Whether your church is passionate about global justice, caring for creation or simply making a practical difference, a Fair Trade stall is a simple but powerful way to turn those values into action. Start Small You don't need a huge team or a large budget to get started. Begin by talking with your church leaders about the idea. Many churches are happy to provide a small loan or donation to purchase initial stock, particularly if it can be repaid gradually as sales grow. Remember that most of the income from a stall is best reinvested into buying more stock rather than raising money for church funds. This helps keep the stall sustainable and ensures producers continue to receive orders. If you're new to running a stall, don't worry, you won't be on your own. The True Origin team and experienced Fair Traders are always happy to share advice and practical tips.