Newcastle Emlyn Fairtrade Group recently hosted a special guest from Malawi to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight and to plant a tree to commemorate Newcastle Emlyn's Fairtrade Town status.

Allan Saidi from Kasinthula Cane Growers’ Association (KCG) met with the local community as part of the Fairtrade Foundation's annual producer tour.

Newcastle Emlyn is the most recent town in Wales to achieve Fairtrade Town status. Allan was able to meet Newcastle Emlyn residents who are campaigning to promote Fairtrade, so that farmers can improve their lives.

Former sugar cane grower Allan is currently an administrator at KCG, a Fairtrade-certified sugar cane project in an inhospitable region of southern Malawi. One of the world’s poorest countries, Malawi is often effected by long droughts that result in famine and twice-yearly rains that often bring floods, with the most recent one affecting more than a million people.

Allan started his visit at Fair Trade shop, Fair and Fabulous where he was welcomed to the town by Mayor Gareth Williams and Fairtrade Steering Group co-ordinator Jill Sutton.

He explained how Fairtrade had helped his family and his community to achieve a better life.

He said: "Fairtrade and the Fairtrade premium has helped our community get a bore hole for clean water, a tractor to till the soil and better housing that can withstand the torrential rain that sometimes affects our area."

Allan presented prizes to Ysgol Penboyr school teacher, Sharon Vobe for children who had won the decorate a Fairtrade bag competition and planted a tree,donated by Trefhedyn Garden Centre, in Sycamore Street.

Mayor Gareth Williams said: "We are proud to have become a Fairtrade Town and we are delighted that Allan has visited us to share the stories of how Fairtrade is having a positive affect in his community in Malawi."