Posts Tagged ‘yomira’

FairMail featured on Belgian television

Friday, December 5th, 2014
Photoshooting with TV presenter Arne

Photoshooting with TV presenter Arne

In October FairMail was featured in five episodes of the Belgian children’s television program “Eerlijk Waar”. The four week series on the commercial VTM channel told the story behind 8 different fair trade products ranging from cacao to bananas and from oranges to flowers. Of course FairMail’s fair trade greeting cards couldn’t be left out!

The main star in the episodes about FairMail is 17 year old Yomira. Belgian TV presenter Arne runs into Yomira while looking for the beach chairs featured in the FairMail card he bought in Belgium. After explaining him about FairMail Yomira teaches Arne some lessons on photography and takes him on photography shoots in the area. Afterwards Arne wants to visit Yomira’s house and the garbage belt where she worked with her grandmother before she entered FairMail. This desolate places leaves a big impression on the presenter and only makes him more impressed about what Yomira has achieved so far.

Below you can view some of the episodes featuring FairMail in combination with a visit to a fair trade orange farm in Southern Africa.



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The photo that changed a life

Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
Yomira's life changing photograph

Yomira’s life changing photograph

FairMail’s goal is to impact teenager’s lives through the art of photography. Never before though did just one photograph have such a big impact on the life of a teenager as with this photo taken by FairMail Peru photographer Yomira (17). In November her photo was selected by a big Dutch college for their corporate Christmas cards. Five months later the full impact on Yomira’s life becomes clear. She is now on her way to be the first in her family to go to university.

Problems at home

Until November Yomira’s perspectives weren’t very bright. Although she had managed to finish her high school with the help of her FairMail earnings she was running short to be able to finance her dream of studying business administration. Also she had serious problems at home and with her boyfriend. We were quite worried about Yomira’s situation and if she would be strong enough to stay on the right path.

Record earnings

Yomira in front of her pre-university institute

Yomira in front of her pre-university institute

Things changed when FairMail’s profit results for the 4th quarter were announced. She had earned the record amount of 4.500 soles (1.200 euro), mainly due to the sale of her picture on ROC Aventus College’s corporate Christmas card. Suddenly she had enough money to prepare herself for the university admission exam at one of the best private training institutes. Preparing for university admission in a private institute is essential in Peru as the level of public high school education is not sufficient. Plus the entry exams are very competitive with only 5% of the applicants being admitted for some courses.

From dream to reality

Yomira seems to be quite happy studying at the institute. It is a totally different world than Peru’s public schools as the teachers use better teaching methods, are more patient and are able to explain more about the subjects, according to Yomira. But it is also quite exciting as now, after talking and dreaming about it for years, she is at the point of taking action to make her dream turn into reality. But what a great opportunity it is to become the first in her family to continue studying after finishing high school. Not many teenagers in her surrounding have that opportunity!

Still it is a big challenge for Yomira. She was a bit scared about how difficult and competitive it would be. She is expected to study 45 hours per week at the institute and has about 4 hours of homework per day! It is also difficult for her that she doesn’t know anybody as none of her high school friends were able to go with her. She says she still doesn’t have much new friends but she enjoys learning new things and achieve her goals this way.

A chance of 1 in 13

Yomira studying at her new institute

Yomira studying at her new institute

Preparing herself for the university admission exam costs about 2.000 soles (about 550 euro). In September she hopes to be ready for the entry exam for the UNT (National University of Trujillo) to study accountancy. The battle will be tough though with about 400 candidates for only 30 seats. Even if she doesn’t make it in the first go she is determined to keep trying and give it a second shot if necessary.

Yomira wishes to thank all the people who bought her pictures and cards. And adds that if anyone has any tips or suggestions about the kind of photos they would like to see on FairMail cards,to please let her know.

The picture that changed her life is also available on a normal FairMail card and a best seller in Germany. Want to stock up on your Christmas cards early this year, then order here?

You can contact Yomira here

In this short video Yomira presents herself:

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FairMail’s first social impact measurement

Tuesday, March 18th, 2014

yomira werk vroegerFairMail was set up in 2006 to bring photos with an original perspective into the market but – more importantly – to accomplish our social mission: 

“to give at-risk teenagers the opportunity to create a better future for themselves”.

But how much impact did we create in our seven years of operation? And what did the teenagers accomplish with their earnings?

“Earning while learning”

In 2013 the 50 teenage photographers earned 20.530 euro to invest in their own education, their families’ housing and medical care. The top earners in Peru and India were Yomira and Sandhya with 1.419 and 1.801 euro respectively. Yeah girl power! In second place came Elmer and Dhiraj with 1.226 and 1.306 euro each.

FairMail dropout rate is much lower than national average

Anshu in school uniform


Anshu in school uniform

These earnings are crucial for the teenagers to be able to fulfill their dreamed future plans. But money alone is no guarantee as success also depends on their perseverance, family situation and motivation for FairMail.

Due to a mix of these reasons, 20% of the teenagers who started FairMail did not make it to the retirement age of 19 years old. These 10 teenagers either lost motivation along the way, were drawn back into problems by “old friends” or faced such big personal problems that they could not continue with FairMail.

86% of all the kids that started FairMail either finished or are still in secondary school. Not bad considering the background of the teenagers FairMail works with. Also if you compare the percentage to the national average of 52% of all Indian teenagers that makes it to tenth grade (or 65% of all children in Peru finishing high school).

87% of FairMail teenagers continue learning after finishing high school

Yuli in front of her university

Yuli in front of her university

Of those FairMail teenagers who finished high school during their time with FairMail 40% has continued on to (pre-) university. 47% of them have continued with a vocational training.

Only 13% decided not to continue studying at all after finishing high school. This either due to not finishing high school in the first place or because they didn’t have enough earnings in their funds after finishing FairMail.

78% of “retired” FairMail teenagers have broken the chain of poverty

Akaash invested his earnings in his bike repair shop

Akaash invested his earnings in his bike repair shop

At this moment 68% of the FairMail teenagers are still studying something. Of those not studying anymore 55% has a decent job (varying from tourism to construction to sales). 23% has his or her own business or is self-employed (varying from producing soccer balls to photography to mechanic). This way they have broken the chain of poverty and can start building a family that will provide much better opportunities for their children then the families where they grew up in. (8% of the ex-FairMail teenagers already have kids of their own!)

Not all is success though. Still 22% is either unemployed or has a marginalized or an unstable job (varying from carrying groceries on the market to being in jail). 4 out of 5 teenagers who are in this situation happen to be teenagers that didn’t finish the FairMail program until the age of 19. This only shows the importance of FairMail’s long term approach and guidance.

Cinthia graduating

Cinthia graduating

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New FairMail documentary: From Dump to Diploma

Sunday, September 15th, 2013

Next week FairMail will be on Dutch National Television in the new “Groundbreaker” television series. This week we can offer you the new “From Dump to Diploma” video which came out 3 weeks ago.

This new 8 minute documentary tells the story of FairMail Peru photographers Yuli and Yomira. How they had to work at a young age recycling garbage to supplement their families small income before they started taking pictures for FairMail. The new documentary gives insight into their daily activities for FairMail and how it has impacted their lives. Not only through the earnings from the sale of their cards to invest in their own education. But also in their personal development and the mindset needed to really achieve their goals.

A unique and inspirational documentary of hope and determination! Check it out below.

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Results of FairMail’s European promotion tour

Sunday, September 15th, 2013

Learning which cards sell well
On the 11th of September, after travelling through Europe with two of FairMail Peru’s teenage photographers for three weeks, FairMail’s fourth European promotion tour ended.

After flying to the Netherlands for the first time in their lives Yuli  and Yomira  drove more than 3.000 kilometers through Belgium, France and Germany.

Presenting at the FA!R in DortmundOn their way they:

>> Presented FairMail on the main stage of a B2B fair trade fair in Dortmund.

>> Met with 6 corporate customers who buy their pictures in France, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands

>> Gave 7 interviews to different newspapers and magazines (view here).

>> Saw their cards selling in 4 shops.

>> Learned what cards do and don’t sell well from 2 of their sales representatives.

>> Visited 1 music festival to sell their cards directly to the end consumer.

>> Took 2.400 pictures of Europe to show their family back home.

A dream come true: visiting the Eiffel tower>> Met up with nearly 40 ex-volunteers of photography trip travelers who visited Peru in the past.

>> Ended up with interesting 2 powerpoint presentation to present the results of their marketing studies to their colleagues in Peru and India.

Check out more pictures of the tour on FairMail’s Facebook page.

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Program “Back to School” European tour with Peruvian teenagers announced

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013
FairMail Peru photographer Yomira

FairMail Peru photographer Yomira

After announcing the European visit of two Peruvian teenagers two months ago we are now happy to announce their travel schedule. During these programmed activities you can personally meet Yuli and Yomira between the 21st of August and the 10th of September 2013.

The two FairMail Peru photographers will visit The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. We will start the tour and give a huge welcome to Yuli and Yomira during a special kick-off event in Utrecht, The Netherlands on Saturday the 24th of August 2013. Please click here if you would like to receive an invitation to come to this event with free FairMail/Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!

Dhiraj explaining German television the unique story behind his cards

Dhiraj explaining German television the unique story behind his cards

The goal of their visit is to investigate their greeting card market and promote the unique story behind the FairMail cards. We have set up the program to fulfill these goals. During the three weeks they will visit representatives of the fair trade community, product developers designing products with their pictures, publishers printing their cards and shops selling them. They have also been selected to present FairMail and their personal story at the central stage of the FAIR! B2B trade fair during two days in Dortmund, Germany. Also they will be meeting FairMail’s stock photography and “printing on demand” partners like Hollandse Hoogte and Greetz. On the 31st of august they will be meeting FairMail’s end customers while selling FairMail cards to the visitors of the free Westerpop music festival in Delft, The Netherlands. Click here to download the complete schedule.

FairMail stand at Mundial music festival in 2012

FairMail stand at Mundial music festival in 2012

This year the theme of the European promotional tour will be “Back to School”. In august most European children go back to school, with the media often reporting about school related novelties. This year we hope to interest them for the novelty that in Peru, India and Morocco teenagers are also going back to school. But not after a pleasant holiday like most kids in Europe, but in their case after a youth working as child laborers. Thanks to their hard work and the sale of their fair trade pictures they have been able to change their destiny. And now two of them are here in Europe, available for interviews. We are still looking for more media contacts willing to interview Yomira and Yuli. Please let us know if you have any contacts. You can download the press release here.

FairMail Peru photographer Yuli

FairMail Peru photographer Yuli

Click here to contact us if you would like to meet Yuli and Yomira or join us on the tour for a day or so.

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Two Peruvian teenagers visit Europe for promotional tour

Monday, March 18th, 2013
FairMail India teenager Dhiraj during 2012 Promotional tour

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

Yomira showing her FairMail Cards

The tour will start on the 23rd of August in Amsterdam and end on the 12th 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

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.

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