Cargill Ghana, in collaboration with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), has trained 111 young people who completed various vocational apprenticeship training programs between 2023 and 2026. The graduation ceremony was held on September 24, 2026, in Debiso, Western North Region of Ghana. This milestone is part of efforts to provide young people with practical skills and economic opportunities. The apprenticeship program is part of Cargill's Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System (CLMRS).
The program aims to support young people with limited opportunities for further education or skills development, providing practical training in various vocational trades. The goal is to enable beneficiaries to acquire skills to establish their own businesses and contribute to their families' and communities' economic wellbeing. Max Essoh Latte, Managing Director of Cargill Ghana, emphasized that the future of cocoa is closely connected to the wellbeing and prosperity of cocoa-growing communities.
The program's first graduating cohort of 60 young people was in April 2025 in Sefwi Bekwai, Western North Region. This latest graduation brings the total to 171 young people who have acquired practical skills in various vocational trades, including auto mechanics, carpentry, and tailoring. Mike Arthur, Country Director for ICI, noted that initiatives like this can help reduce child labour and poverty in cocoa-growing communities.
The ceremony brought together representatives from Cargill Ghana, ICI, government institutions, traditional leaders, and community leaders. Samuel Apana, Sustainability Operations Manager at Cargill Ghana, emphasized that the initiative reflects Cargill's investment in people and communities as part of building a more resilient cocoa sector. He encouraged the graduands to make good use of their newly acquired skills.
Dr. James Kofi Kutsoati, Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations at COCOBOD, commended Cargill for its commitment to tackling child labour through the initiative. He noted that the intervention complements COCOBOD's broader efforts under the Cocoa Sector Child Labour Monitoring System (CS-CLMS). The event recognized the dedication of graduates, their families, trainers, and community stakeholders.
As part of the initiative, all 111 graduates, comprising 75 females and 36 males, received start-up tools to support them as they begin their next chapter. The provision of tools was intended to help graduates transition from training into employment and entrepreneurship. Wilbert Petty Bentum, District Chief Executive of Bia West District Assembly, commended Cargill Ghana and ICI for the initiative.
International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2002, tackling child labour and forced labour in the cocoa sector in West Africa. The organization unites the forces of the cocoa and chocolate industry, civil society, farming communities, governments, and donors. The initiative is an example of collaborative efforts to eliminate child labour and secure a brighter future for children and the cocoa industry.
Key points
- Cargill Ghana and ICI have trained 111 young people in vocational apprenticeships in Ghana's Bia West.
- The program aims to support young people with limited opportunities for further education or skills development.
- The initiative complements COCOBOD's broader efforts to eliminate child labour in cocoa-growing communities.
