The International Cocoa Initiative has produced a four-film series, titled Community Development in Action, exploring different aspects of community work and their impact on child labour. Each episode features testimonies from communities in Ghana that received ICI's support as part of the Community Development Programme, which ran between 2015 and 2018.
Abease's story
Community members from Abease explain how the work of the Community Child Protection Committee, focusing on the community's action plan, helped them put child protection at the centre of their development.
Protecting children through quality education
Access to education is important in cocoa-growing communities, but so too is the quality: it can have an important impact on children's wellbeing. In this film, learn how educational opportunities, improved school facilities and other action supported children in different communities in Ghana.
Apprenticeships: A gateway to a brighter future
ICI's Community Development Programme sought to ensure that teenagers, who can be at particular risk of engaging in hazardous child labour, were offered the chance of apprenticeships if they did not want to continue in school. In this video, some of the children assisted explain what the programme meant to them.
Alternative livelihoods for protective cocoa families
To protect children it is also necessary to support families. Through training on Income Generating Activities, ICI worked with local authorities and community members, particularly women, to offer greater livelihood opportunities. From rice farming to bead making, community members learned new skills to diversify their incomes and provide for their families.