Bitter-Sweet Chocolate
Can You Live a Normal Life Behind The Walls Of a Factory?
Children Forced Into Slavery For Chocolate Companies in West Africa
Rheona Mehta Section 2
Many cacao farms in West Africa, Cote d'Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast are illegally trafficking and employing children.There are many groups and committees that are working against these cacao farms but the committees can not get enough attention to solve the problem. Cacao farms are not doing anything about the issue even though they have signed legal forms and promised not to illegally employ children anymore. People do not trust the cacao farms to volunteer and make things better so other people are taking charge. Many people are against the idea of employing children and are trying to stop the illegal act from spreading. However, if the chocolate companies are not willing to help then we will not make much change.
Many families send their children to the cacao farms because they were not informed about the fact that they are not going to be treated properly,they will be working long hours and they may be sold. Another reason why children would be trafficked is because their fathers died or 'disappeared' and their mothers could not work and take care of the children at the same time. This was a problem because even though the children are working, only a very few get paid. Even then, the children that do get paid, do not earn enough to support their family.
Nestle Chocolate Bar: CRUNCH
Nestle Chocolate Bar: AERO
Nestle also made AERO bars.
Nestle Candy: SMARTIES
The Struggles of Keeping up a Normal Life While Working On the Cacao Farms as a Child (video)
If This Situation Is Not Resolved, Many More Problems Will Be Brought To The Table Without a Solution
Children working in the cacao farms in West Africa have no choice but to live a dangerous and poor life.
This is a Cacao bean.
The children's job on the farm is to collect the cacao plant, cut them open, and store the beans to make chocolate.
These are the cacao beans at different stages
This is how the children get the cacao bean off the trees
Young children use dangerous tools like machetes to get the cacao plants off the trees and cut them open
The Solution To This Horrible Crisis is Easier Than You Would Imagine
Many people are trying to help the children in labor; however, they can not do anything without the cooperation of the chocolate farms. The chocolate company, Nestle, has signed all forms of code of conduct and still use children as slaves on the chocolate farms. People want to stop the child slavery, so they send reporters to the cacao farms. These reporters are trying there best to spread the news and stop the slavery. They are trying to bring more order to the farms because the farm owners have no records of the workers or the ages of the workers.
Even Though people are having a hard time solving this problem. Many commitments, such as the ILO (International Labor Organization) are putting great affort tino helpiing this cause.
Many People Are Taking Part in Committees and Protests to Stand Up For the Children Working in West Africa.
Many people are trying to educate not only the children working in the farms, but also the families that are innocently sending their children to the farms under the impression that it will be good for them.
Now that the government can no longer trust the cacao companies to fix their wrongs, they are working hard to enforce stronger laws and stop this illegal act from slipping through their hands. From the constant reporters knocking on their doors and protests about the child slavery, it has caught many people's attention. For example, a lawyer recently took interest in this topic and is hard at work to try to solve this important issue.
Even though the child slavery in West Africa is a big problem, many people are trying their best to stop the trafficking of innocent children and soon all the child slaves will be ensured a normal life.
Additional Sources
Where I got my information
Work Cited
"Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry." Child Labor and Slavery in the Chocolate Industry. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
Clarke, Joe Sandler. "Child Labour on Nestlé Farms: Chocolate Giant's Problems Continue." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 02 Sept. 2015. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
"International Labor Rights Forum." Cocoa. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.
"Sign-up for UPDATES." Anti-Slavery. Web. 22 Mar. 2016.