FROM COCOA FARMER TO METALWORKER: VOCATIONAL TRAINING CHANGES LIVES IN GHANA

It is now widely known: education is the key to a better life. However, in Ghana, many cocoa farmers often lack the financial means to provide their children with an education. Sometimes a bank loan is taken out, or a piece of farmland is sold to make this possible. If this is not feasible, children often remain working on the farm. To offer opportunities to these young people, Gered Gereedschap, together with the Chocolonely Foundation and the ASUNAFO North cocoa farmers’ cooperative, launched a project in 2023: establishing a metal workshop where 75 young people can receive training as metalworkers each year.

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Two-year program: from theory to tangible results

Within the project, we collaborate with a local vocational school, the Technology Solution Centre (TSC) in Goaso. Justice Dankwah is the school’s director and the driving force behind the program: “We offer an intensive, demand-driven training over a two-year period. The curriculum, which normally takes four years to complete, has been condensed to two years specifically for this program to get students into the job market faster. Our instructors equip students with the knowledge and practical skills that lead to sustainable employment and economic independence. The project has already yielded tangible results. The students are now producing a variety of metal products such as coal pots and block-forming machines, demonstrating that they can effectively apply their new skills.”

The impact of free vocational education

Gered Gereedschap has provided all the necessary tools and machines, along with scholarships that cover the full cost of the training. One of the teachers, Ishmael Wilson, says: “The new tools have had a positive impact on our training. Those tools truly make a difference: they have resolved previous issues with insufficient resources and have led to a more effective and engaging learning experience for the students.”

The financial support from Gered Gereedschap has relieved the burden on students and their families. Parents like Faustina Ofori Tawiah are grateful for the changes the project has brought: “My children, who were previously limited to working on the farm, now have the opportunity to develop themselves and build a better life through free vocational education.”

Metalworking for everyone

The project also pays special attention to involving women in this traditionally male-dominated sector: 30% of the students are female. Julia Agoma is one of them: “I thought metalworking was only for men, but this initiative has proven otherwise. I now see myself as a role model for other women to pursue training in metalwork.” She also praises the hands-on approach: “The practical experience and the opportunity to work on real projects were invaluable. Thanks to the starter kit with tools, I now see myself with a promising future in metalworking and I’m excited to contribute to my community!”