The project which is being implemented in Adansi Asokwa, Adansi North, Obuasi, Bekwai, Amansie Central and Adansi South would reach out to 445 households in 62 communities. To enable parents to provide basic education needs of their children, 436 cocoa farmers would be supported to go into other income generating activities such as vegetable, cereal, animal farming, soap making and oil palm extraction.

Nestle as part of its commitment to responsible cocoa sourcing strategies and shared value, signed an agreement with ICI in 2017, to set up Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS) in their supply chain in six districts in Ashanti Region.

The move is to ensure children found to be at risk of child labour are regularly in school as a way of protecting children from hazardous work on the farms, while empowering parents to explore other sources of income to be financially stable to support their children’s education.

After one year of implementing the project, a durbar has been held to present learning materials and other equipment to children identified to be at risk or already involved in child labour at Ayokoa in the Adansi Asokwa District.

The durbar was attended by the chiefs and people of Ayokoa, official from the Assembly and the District Education Directorate as well as representatives from Nestle, Cocoanect and Cocoa Merchant.

Mr. Fred Kukubor, Nestle Cocoa Plan Manager, in an address said 776 beneficiary children from primary to Junior High School (JHS) would be provided with school uniforms, bags, exercise books, note books and footwears. He said 80 others between the ages of 15 and 17 would be supported to enrol in apprenticeship training of their choice, adding that, the remaining 119 would benefit indirectly through their parents who would be supported by ICI.

Beneficiary parents, according to him, would be provided with seedlings, agrochemicals and extension services to enable them start other alternative farming. He disclosed that four communities including Tweapease, Koniyaw, Anwona and Denkyea would be supported to set up Community Service Groups.

These groups would be trained in good cocoa agronomic practices and provided with equipment such as motorized mist blowers, pruners, forceps, cutlasses and protective gears, upon withdrawal of their children from cocoa farms.