March 29, in Ghana, was the launch ceremony of the TogetHER project: an initiative for women and cocoa-growing communities. The event was attended by representatives from Global Affairs Canada and stakeholders from the cocoa industry.
About TogetHER
This five-year initiative will meaningfully impact the livelihoods of 3,000 women and 1,000 youth from cocoa-growing communities in two regions of Ghana: Ashanti and Western North. SOCODEVI will indirectly improve the living conditions of 80,000 people by teaching them business skills, promoting cooperative development and helping tear down gender-based barriers in the cocoa industry.
The project will also address climate change and environmental protection by working with growers and government and private agencies in cocoa-growing communities.
Also at the project’s launch were several women who are members of supported cooperatives, who got the chance to express their gratitude on behalf of all of the women who will participate in this project. They talked about how they and other female cooperative members benefited from the creation of their cooperatives, which have boosted their financial independence over the years. They also felt a sense of belonging and group cohesion that helped them more easily achieve their collective objectives.
TogetHER is funded by Global Affairs Canada with a budget of 10 million dollars.