Entry: Peter Higgins, Purdy’s Chocolate

I recently came back from my first trip to Africa in late October, and Wow, what an experience! I visited World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) ECHOES communities, and to see the challenges and the encouraging things that are happening to support the livelihoods of the cocoa growing communities was eye-opening. The purpose of our visit was two-fold for Purdy's: 1) To further educate ourselves on the agriculture of cocoa; 2) To see the development work in ECHOES communities, which is supported by Purdy's.

The development work was inspiring. It starts with the team of people we met who work with WCF and Winrock. Matilda was our main guide during our visits to the communities. Given her background of growing up on a cocoa farm as a young girl, and having grown up being told that education was not a priority for her, the messages she brought forward were so meaningful and significant. She provided an example of the importance of education to children, single mothers and cocoa farmers to the communities she is involved with.

One stirring moment was at a meeting in a community where a young girl was brave enough to speak up. This young girl in her early teens was distressed that her father was telling her education was not important to her future and that he would not help with funding her school and uniform for school. Matilda knew where she was coming from given her own background. Although I couldn't understand specifically as Matilda talked in her native language what I could "interpret" nonetheless was an inspirational moment where Matilda was telling this young lady "it was not her father's future - this is about her future and her education must be where it starts".

I am certain this is but one small example of the challenge and subsequently the opportunities that are happening daily through Matilda and her team's efforts in these communities. We also heard stories from young farmers who had education through WCF ECHOES shadow teachers, demonstration farms and other ECHOES education programs. We heard stories from single mothers who had received grants through the ECHOES program. One after another each woman very proudly stood up and talked about how they received education about their businesses and used this grant money to further their business success and ultimately help the living conditions and education for themselves and their families. We saw many examples that by learning basic agriculture practices, cocoa farmers had conservatively doubled the yield of their farms and their incomes.

In addition to Matilda, the team of Laura (WCF), Bernice (Winrock), Abraham (Winrock), MacGeorge (World Education), and Gideon (World Education) were all inspiring people that deeply cared about improving the livelihoods of the cocoa growing communities. We left feeling confident in the positive work that is being done by these teams and further inspired to continue the support of these development programs. We feel confident that in helping to fund these programs, we are building stronger partnerships with the farming communities and look forward to sharing this with our Purdy's staff team and customers.

Peter Higgins is the Chief Operating Officer at Purdy's Chocolates. Peter has an Agriculture degree specializing in Food Science and now specializes in the Science of Chocolate having worked with Purdy's since 1998. Peter leads the direction for Purdy's, a Chocolatier that was started in Vancouver in 1907. Today Purdy's has 60 Chocolate Shops across Canada.

Pictured left to right: Matilda Broni, Peter Higgins, Karen Flavelle

Pictured left to right: Karen Flavelle, Peter Higgins

Pictured: Peter Higgins with schoolchildren in Sefwi Wiawso area.

Entry: Laura Ostenso, Leland International Fellow

The very first class of the World Cocoa Foundation Agricultural Logistics Programme graduated on November 19, 2011. The program, a partnership of World Cocoa Foundation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), ADM, and Safmarine, provides 30 students in the greater Kumasi area with new knowledge and skills on the logistics side of the cocoa value chain. It is innovative work that helps not only to promote a sustainable cocoa economy in Ghana but also helps to strengthen education and expand opportunities for young people. The program has two phases: 1) academic; 2) internship. The graduation celebrated the students’ achievement of the academic phase.

For the academic phase, our graduates participated actively in the programme courses held at KNUST. They learned not only new content areas in agricultural logistics, but increased their confidence, skill level, and their belief in themselves. We at WCF/ECHOES are thankful to the students for their excellent work. The dedication to learning they exhibited during the first part of their exciting journey is inspiring, and now they are ready to apply the valuable knowledge to internships with industry partners and COCOBOD. We are confident the 30 graduates will do so with great success.

The graduation was an exciting event, with participation with the original partners and new partners from COCOBOD. Speeches delivered by each resounded with the hope the graduates themselves expressed throughout the program. Graduates also presented each of the partners with beautiful art work that they designed and executed together as a class. The class representative and the class valedictorian delivered speeches that exhibited their newfound confidence. Overall, it was a fantastic day for the students and all participants.

Special thanks are due to our partners at ADM and Safmarine, and especially to the leadership, professors, and instructors at KNUST School of Business. Without their dedication, time, and sacrifice (they spent their holidays to teach) the program could not have been the success it was!

Stay tuned for updates on the internship portion of the program!

Entry: Steve Burgoon, Peace Corps Volunteer

In 2010, WCF signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States Peace Corps which led to our work together in communities in Ghana. Steve Burgoon is the first placement of a Volunteer from the U.S. Peace Corps with a WCF program. He helps with our CocoaLink cell phone farmer extension program as well as our WCF ECHOES Program Resource Center in Nknoya, in Ghana's Western Region.

Greetings from Ghana! My name is Steve Burgoon and I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sefwi-Nkonya in the Western Region. I arrived in Ghana in June and came to my village in September after three months of training. I have since been working on ECHOES projects such as the computer lab that was built in my village as well as CocoaLink.

It's incredible that in such a remote location, people are very enthusiastic and wanting to learn more about the technology we have come so accustomed to using. Even when I am not conducting formal classes children are always coming to the computer lab to practice their skills. The CocoaLink project has also taken off even in towns that do not have electricity.

For those of you who do not know, CocoaLink is a program that connects cocoa farmers via mobile phone text messaging. It allows farmers to receive information from a reliable, unbiased source better farming practices. Every Friday a mass text message containing pertinent information is sent out to all the farmers subscribed to the program. Topics include: planting, fertilizer/pesticide application, harvesting, drying, and storage. The program also allows subscribers to respond with any questions they might have. Currently there are over 2800 farmers in nine communities and counting.

Recently we had a meeting to evaluate this project which was launched in May. We have already exceeded our goal of 1450 farmers in a year and we are looking to expand. The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) is willing to support with more information as well as advertisement to "spread the word." I have already talked to neighboring Peace Corps Volunteers to sign their communities up as well. Messages containing important health and business advice is in the works, too.

Of course there are challenges such as reading the texts, receiving the texts and keeping phones charged. Luckily most people can read or know someone that does. The messages are sent in English or the local language, Twi. We are also currently developing voice messages. We are working with local cell providers to ensure timely receipt of messages. Electricity continues to spread throughout Ghana as well.

Ghana is truly a great place and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. Everyone is truly grateful for my help and I in turn am grateful for their generous hospitality. Yes there are many frustrations of course but it is all worth it. If you want to read about my personal experiences here I have blog http://steveburgoon.wordpress.com/ and I post all my pictures on my Facebook page.