Belvas’ DIRECT program:
While we were developing the DIRECT program, the exchanges between ECSP community and the cooperative, our team has been really impressed. First of all, by the technical knowledges of the company management and the trainers. Secondly, by their understanding of the real situation of the planters. Finally, by the organization and the structure of the cooperative.
The program was set up in a peer-to-peer relationship underlying the whole process.
Four goals have been defined (in the DIRECT program, the bonuses are expressed in US dollars per tonne of cocoa):
1. Children’s schooling:
The presence of children at school
Setting up a daily attendance register at school and a measuring presence rate to prove that no children is daily working in the plantations.
Bonus: 150$ for each household participating in the program, and whose children reach a presence rate of 90%.
Birth certificates
A lot of parents don’t do the administrative formalities to obtain a birth certificate for their child. But that document is crucial for the participation to the exams. The program will partly finance the obtaining of those missing birth certificates.
Budget: 100$ from the bonus
Education program to make parents understand the necessity of school in their children’s life.
Every three months we communicate the number of children that are back at school because of the DIRECT program.
Program financed by ECSP.
Grant of didactic material (benches, pencils…) and maintenance of the buildings.
Budget: Ad hoc decision by the cooperative and Belvas ; financing on the basis of the premium bonus.
