Once upon a time, in a remote cocoa farming community in Ghana, there lived a young boy named Kofi. His father was a cocoa farmer, and they lived in a small mud house with a thatched roof. Kofi helped his father on the farm every day, tending to the cocoa trees and harvesting the pods.
One day, Kofi heard about a new chocolate factory that had opened up in the nearby town. He dreamed of one day working in the factory and tasting the delicious chocolate they made. However, he soon realized that this dream was impossible for him.
KOFI is the day name for an Asante male born on Friday
You can watch my video on “day naming” in Ghana
You see, the children of the workers in the chocolate factory got to go to school and learn skills that would help them get a job in the factory. They had access to healthcare, clean water, and other basic needs. But Kofi and the other children in his village didn't have these privileges. They couldn't go to school because their parents couldn't afford it, and they often got sick because they didn't have access to clean water.
Kofi felt crushed by the unfairness of it all. He wondered why he couldn't have the same opportunities as the children of the chocolate factory workers. He wondered why his family had to struggle just to survive, while others had so much.
Despite the challenges, Kofi remained hopeful. He continued to help his father on the farm and dreamed of a better future. He knew that the inequalities in the cocoa value chain needed to be addressed, so that children like him could have access to the basic privileges they deserved.
The story of Kofi highlights how the inequality within the cocoa value chain impacts not only the cocoa farmers but also their children, perpetuating poverty cycles and denying them access to basic needs and privileges. It's a reminder that the world has been designed for some to thrive at the expense of others' suffering, and that we must work to create a fairer, more equitable system for all.