By Dennis Peprah,
Nkrankwanta, (Bono), Oct. 14, GNA-Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union is supporting the establishment of school-based child labour clubs to help eliminate the growing trend of child labour in cocoa growing communities in the Dormaa West District of the Bono Region.
The clubs spearhead advocacy against exploitative work among children in the cocoa growing communities through interactive sessions on child rights and dignity and awareness creation as well as the relevance of child education.
“Unifor Canada has taken a major step toward eliminating child labour in cocoa-growing communities through the establishment of the clubs through the implementation of our Rights for Cocoa Project”, Madam Hariaya Bala, the Project Coordinator of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF) told the Ghana News Agency (GNA).
She spoke to the GNA in an interview on the sidelines of the formation of the Nkrankwanta Seventh Day Adventist Basic School chapter of the club at Nkrankwanta, a cocoa growing community in the district.
Mad Bala explained that the GloMeF, a human rights, anti-corruption and media advocacy organisation was implementing the Unifor Canada’s funded “Rights for Cocoa Project” aimed at tackling child labour in the cocoa growing communities.
She explained that with the support of the school authorities the clubs would elect their executives to lead GloMeF’s supported activities in the schools and the cocoa growing communities and thereby demonstrating early signs of leadership and ownership in the fight against child labour.
She said: “The creation of these clubs represents a powerful community-driven approach to tackle child labour at the root”, saying “we strongly believe that the fight against child labour must begin in the classroom”.
Mad Bala indicated that: “When children understand their rights, dignity and the value of education, they become unstoppable change agents in their respective local communities”.
She said the implementation of the project sought to establish five school-based clubs in the district to empower the school children to lead conversations, raise awareness, and inspire their peers to advocate for a future free from child exploitation.
“The initiative also underscores GloMeF’s commitment to promoting child rights, education, and sustainable cocoa production”, Mad Bala stated, and stressed the foundation’s commitment to ensuring that every child grew up in a community where they were protected to reach their full potential.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade