Kamran Goes Bananas to Break World Record

Muslim Aid’s coffee shop The Fair Factory hosted its first ever banana eating competition on Saturday 7th March, as Fairtrade Fortnight drew to a close. Members of the public rose to the challenge as the competition heated up. The world record currently stands at 5 bananas eaten in 1 minute. Ten year old Kamran (pictured left), one of our youngest contenders, took the lead when he ate 4 bananas in 1 minute. At one point Kamran consumed a whole banana in 10 seconds!

Muslim Aid’s coffee shop The Fair Factory and The Wild Cherry Restaurant, next door to the Buddhist Centre, went ‘bananatastic’ as part of Fairtrade Fortnight from 23rd Febuary until 8th March which aims to raise awareness of small farmers and workers in developing countries who rely on the Fairtrade price to earn a sustainable living and improve their communities.

Behind the fun filled deluge of bananas there is a serious message which concerns all of us.

Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation said: ‘We are calling on people to make a simple decision when they shop. By choosing Fairtrade consumers are ensuring producers are given the chance to receive a minimum price and Fairtrade premium, which in turn enables them to earn a decent living and support their families.’

Fairness, equality, honesty and justice are values that all faiths share. There is a rich heritage in Islam of high moral standards, ethics, values and norms of behavior, which guides personal and professional conduct. In the area of business and commerce, Islam obliges buyers, sellers and consumers to act honestly, fairly and with integrity in their daily business practices – business is not something that can be treated separately from all other aspects of social life. Islam also requires that workers be treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The teachings of Islam can be seen to go hand in hand with the aims of the fair trade movement, to achieve fairness, equity and justice for all.

Hamid Azad, Muslim Aid’s acting CEO said: “This is an excellent initiative and is a fantastic way of highlighting a serious issue and high-lighting the Islamic values of justice, empowerment and compassion. Muslim Aid’s Fair Factory in East London has empowered the developing world to use their hard-earned income to provide healthcare and education for their children.”

Thank you to everyone who wondered into the Fair Factory to engage in a bit fun for a serious issue!

The challenge is on....