In this episode, I am joined by Andre Houssney of the Zambian Soap Company. Andre gives us a cultural and historical context of Zambia, discusses the process of developing a soap company in the region, talks us through the production process of organic soap, comments on Fair Trade, and addresses the tension between buying local and supporting access to markets for Zambian producers.
Links:
The Zambian Soap Company: http://www.zambiansoap.com/
The Fair Trade Federation: http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
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5 responses to “Episode #65: The Zambian Soap Company with Andre Houssney”
Excellent interview. I think we have to ask questions about our fairtrade relationships and ask how much of the extra cost we pay as consumers really trickles down to the producers. Depending on the product, it is salutary to ask whether it would have been more efficient just to give the equivalent amount of money to the producer rather than inefficiently raising money via sales.
Having said that, the Zambian Soap Company is clearly at the most ethical end of the fairtrade spectrum.
Hello Joe,
Thanks for the compliment!
In response to your comment I would make two points:
1. Do you really pay more? In our case, Zambian soap is actually less expensive than nearly any other organic soap. Comparing to an American company, Pangea Organics, for example, Zambian Soap is about half the cost. This is because of dramatically lower labor costs and the fact that both companies are transporting approximately the same weight/distance, one in raw materials, the other in finished products. In this case it’s actually *more* efficient than the alternative and that translates into lower costs.
2. Rather than being inefficient, raising money via sales is far superior to living on donations. Living on donations is rarely sustainable as a income or lifestyle, becoming productive empowers you to thrive, and not merely to survive, and to plan for the future. Psychologically, producing and selling something is far more empowering than receiving a donation.
Earning money, rather than being given money, also promotes reinvestment and gives incentives to the kind of behavior which is the most beneficial to society.
Having seen the inefficient and sometimes inept way international aid agencies operate, I would almost rather see one dollar spent in trade with an African than two dollars given in a donation. (Don’t stop giving though!)
(Just my 2¢.)
Andre, kudos to you for entering the discussion.
I know nothing about your product other than I hear and read here. I can’t buy it as I live in the UK. Still, it is good to hear that you are price competitive.
So how much in percentage terms of your sale price goes to the farmer and the others involved in the process. For most commodity products, 10% is an impossibly good percentage because of all the other costs of the supply chain. Again, please don’t take it that I am attacking your work, I spent 5 years of my life working unpaid full time for a non-profit attempting to build fairer trading relationships.
Take a cup of starbucks, for example. I calculate that around 4 cents from a $3 cup of coffee actually goes to the farmer. Rather than pretending I’m being ethical by buying the coffee, it would have been much more efficient to give the farmer 4 cents every time I buy a cup of coffee.
I think you are right about making products in the sense that it is empowering (and you wont find me arguing in favour of crappy aid handouts) but I am totally unconvinced that producing cash crops for the international market is in any sense a sustainable model for development.
OK, I’ve gone way over the original discussion, so apologies for that.
Actually even if you live in the UK, you can order the ZSC products:
http://zambiansoap.com/order.php#mid
Hello Andre,
I’ve listened to this interview and found it very interesting too… Weird thing is that, as a photographer, I’ve been trying to reach you and your company for the last two months in order to make a photo-reportage once in Zambia next december. Strangely, nobody never replied which made me think that something was hidden from me about your real implication over there… I hope I’m wrong cause I’m gonna go with or without your help, even though I wish we can still figure out something together! Thanx!