Footwear Workers Support Local School Infrastructure

Footwear workers at Indústria de Calçados Wirth LTDA in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, identified local school infrastructure as a shared community priority. Through their Fair Trade Committee, they collectively decided to invest Fair Trade Community Development Funds to support the public schools attended by their children and neighbors. In 2025, during their General Assembly, the workers allocated over $125,000 USD to a series of vital infrastructure projects. These collective investments addressed practical safety and hygiene needs through classroom construction, interior painting, structural roof replacements, and new playgrounds, directly improving the daily learning environment for local families. A powerful example of this initiative is Escola Lasalle, where the Fair Trade Committee invested $29,000 USD of Community Development Funds to support 48 children attending after-school extracurricular programs. Previously, the school had only two small bathrooms, leading to long lines and uncomfortable wait times during breaks. To resolve these hygiene and overcrowding issues, workers approved the construction of two new bathrooms, one of them fully accessible, and the installation of a dedicated playground. The newly expanded sanitation facilities immediately increased the school’s capacity, drastically reducing wait times and ensuring better hygiene and comfort for all students. Meanwhile, the new playground provides a much-needed space for recreation, physical development, and social interaction. Through these targeted, democratic investments, the footwear workers have successfully transformed everyday conditions, fostering safer and more supportive educational spaces for the next generation.