On April 16, Iona students were invited to take part in an event that focused on product sourcing, and gave them an inside look at the lives of farmers in developing countries who suffer under capitalist trade systems.

The inspiration for the event began with a Madecasse chocolate bar and the curiosity of Dr. Teresa Delgado to learn more about the message printed on its packaging.

Delgado said that upon first seeing a Madecasse chocolate bar she was intrigued by its intricate wrapping that not only suggested that it was a labor intensive product, but also an expensive product. When she read over the packaging, she came to learn about the work of Madecasse in helping to build sustainable communities in impoverished areas.

As director of Peace and Social Justice studies here at the college, she felt strongly about getting in contact with the company to discuss ways of organizing a presentation here on campus.

“I knew this was something I wanted to bring to my students,” she said. “My hope for the students was that attending such an event would create dialogue around the idea that good, sound ethical practices make for good business.”

Madecasse is a private company that works with cocoa farmers of Madagascar to balance social and ecological justice with selling better quality products. As former members of the Peace Corps, the founders of Madecasse already had their hands and hearts deeply embedded in the African community.

Through their experience with the Peace Corps, the team of three learned a lot about how the cocoa industry was run and strove to implement a for-profit business scheme that would give the people of Madagascar more of the benefits of trade.

Ultimately, they were successful in developing a business model that went beyond Fair Trade, providing farmers with four times the income they had previously earned and generating more jobs by keeping the production of the cocoa in Madagascar instead of exporting it elsewhere.

Senior psychology major Jess Scaparro was in attendance at the event and found the Madecasse message to be both informative and inspirational.

“I went to Zambia last May with Iona in Mission, so anything related to Africa is a big part of my life, especially with such poverty levels in that area,” she said, “the service aspect of what [Madecasse] does is something that’s really important to me.”

Joe Salvatore, Madecasse’s marketing director and co-founder, made their mission very clear when speaking with Iona students.

“At the end of the day, it’s a business and we need to make a profit, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t help people too,” said Salvatore. “There is no reason why a business can’t be successful and advance social justice at the same time.”