Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Elevita and Living Wages

It is always eye-opening to see the kind of economic challenges our artisans face. For example, here is a rough idea what local things cost in the rural Philippines so you can see where a low wage earner's income goes.

What things cost:  60 pesos (p60) = $1.38
Jeepney ride: 10 pesos (medium distance)
Cost of a liter of fuel: p58+
Tricycad (local transportation: p8+
Small bottle of water: p15-20
Local meal with meat: p70+
The average cost of school (rural) per child, per month: p200+ ($4.56)

Salaries:
The average security person earns p200+ per day ($4.56)
The average hotel cleaner earns p200+ per day 
The average receptionist earns p200 - 300 + per day 

A village girl or boy brought to work as a housekeeper can be paid as little as 0 to 50 pesos per day.
A village girl of boy working in the rice fields make as little as 15 pesos per day. 

Most employers of fast food restaurants and supermarket chains only hire people for 5 months and then release them so that they don't have to pay out full-time benefits.  


Elevita.com pays our Philippine artisans a fair trade wage for their work to ensure they have a living wage to support themselves and their family.  We also support their efforts to grow and develop their enterprise so as to create additional jobs at fair wages for others. In addition, we currently provide scholarships for 4 young women to attend secondary school or college so they they will have greater economic opportunity in their future.  Your purchases from and support for Elevita.com makes all of this possible.  We couldn't do this without you! 




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