ALBA, Italy – Ferrero announces its intention to join forces with a strong coalition of the government of Côte d’Ivoire, leading cocoa and chocolate companies, the Jacobs Foundation and further philanthropic partners to tackle the root causes of child labor in Côte d’Ivoire.
This coalition will develop a public-private partnership aiming to promote quality education and early childhood development for over 6 million children in Côte d’Ivoire through two initiatives with a total target capitalization of 150 million Swiss Francs.
The first of the two funding initiatives, the Child Learning and Education Facility (CLEF), aims to reach 5 million children and 10 million parents in cocoa growing areas and beyond, focusing on access to quality primary education.
The second initiative, the Early Learning and Nutrition Facility (ELAN) is designed to reach 1.3 million children below the age of 5 and their caregivers, providing quality services and training in early childhood development and nutrition.
Without better early childhood development and access to quality education, children are at higher risk of child labor, points out a press release from Ferrero. The CLEF and ELAN initiatives are seeking a sustainable solution to this situation in Côte d’Ivoire.
Ferrero is proud to be part of this significant public-private coalition initiated by the Jacobs Foundation. “Being a family company with strong values, Ferrero is proud to contribute to this partnership with the Jacobs Foundation, the government of Côte d’Ivoire and other cocoa and chocolate companies, which we believe will have a meaningful and lasting impact, on our direct supply chain and beyond,” says Marco Gonçalves, Chief Procurement & Hazelnut Company Officer at Ferrero.
“The CLEF ELAN initiatives are complementary to the existing Ferrero Farming Values Cocoa program. In this program, Ferrero is working to enable children in cocoa-growing communities a joyful growth by providing access to quality education and basic facilities like sanitation and hygiene and good nutrition. For many years, we have already been working closely together with our suppliers and main partners like the NGO Save the Children. Because only together, we can ensure a better future for children and advance the elimination of child labor.”
