About 500 children of cocoa farmers, 200 adults and 100 youths across 10 communities in Idanre and Ifedore Local Councils of Ondo State have been trained on vocational skills, with start-up kits, to alleviate their standard of living.

The training, courtesy of Child Labour Education and Resilience (CLEAR) project of the Lutheran World Relief, was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in partnership with Ondo State Government, Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The 10 communities where the beneficiaries were drawn are – Ofosu, Ita-Loorun, Gbalegi, Bajare/Olofin, Ala-Elefosan (Idanre LGA) and Ikota, Molete, Ajebamidele, Ipogun, and Ibuji (Ifedore LGA).

The Chief of Party, Lutheran World Relief, Nene Akwetey-Kodjoe, in his introductory remarks during the distribution of the kits, held at Ita-LoorunIdanre, said the skills acquisition was very important for the youngsters and it shouldn’t be taken for granted in order to reduce the prevalence of child labour practices among cocoa farmers in the state.
Akwetey-Kodjoe, represented by the Human Resource Manager, Lutheran World Relief, Foluso Wilson, said: “We need to eradicate usage of children for labour, what we are saying is that hard-labour is not allowed, we need to do it right, we need to engage our children in different vocational skills training.”

He, however, charged the beneficiaries who were trained on phone repair, soap making, making of shoes and tying of gele to make use of the kits judicious.

“Actually the issue we are tackling is child labour practices among cocoa farmers in Ondo State, so this is to tell our parents that these children can do or use their time for better things than going to the farm with their fathers or mothers…”

The Ondo State Controller, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olanike Mogboruko, who also spoke, said; “this is something that is much needed at this time of our economy because it would be useful for these children and parents will not have any excuse of using their children in child labour.”

The Headmistress, LA Primary School, Ita-LoorunIdanre, Mercy Ayodeji, said; “I give glory to God that my pupils have this great opportunity. I am appealing to our parents to help us monitor these children to make use of the kits very well; they should not sell it so that it can be a profitable to them.”