ADM Cocoa strengthens educational program
ADM Cocoa continues to strengthen its commitment to cocoa-growing communities through its Specific Age-Group Education and Empowerment System (SAGE²S) program, which provides vocational training to young people and trainers and has launched the RUFATEC (Rural Family Training and Education Centre) concept.
The SAGE²S program was initially piloted in the communities of Amélékia and Appronprom, two cocoa-growing communities near Abengourou in CÔTE D’IVOIRE, providing innovative, integrated family-based support for education and rural entrepreneurship.
The SAGE²S program is designed to increase the mobilization, organization and training of the broader rural community. It encourages participants to recognize and share experiences, improve general knowledge and develop basic business skills, reinforcing the fundamentals of the rural economic reality.
Multiple modules and aged groups
The program is carried out in multiple modules and is separated into three age groups, with a different focus for each group. For the youngest age group level, the program seeks to understand enrollment rates at primary school age, while the second level focuses on vocational training of adolescents, including adolescents who have left primary school. Finally, the last level concentrates on training ambitious potential entrepreneurs with a focus on micro-enterprise management and financial planning.
The total number of trainees in 2014 was approximately 50 in Amélékia and 70 in Appronprom. The key focus was to train young people over two school years and provide continuous training to five trainers. To date, the micro-enterprises can be grouped by retail, nutrition-related agriculture, horticulture and poultry, as well as tailoring and cosmetology.
“The SAGE²S program has proven to be valuable and has reached community leaders and young people alike. There is a high level of motivation, so simply providing the necessary tools, education and training pertaining to farming food crops, cocoa and other important topics allowed us to experience tangible success,” said ADM Cocoa’s Director of Sustainability Michiel Hendriksz.
SAGE²S supports the development of micro and small rural enterprises with a strong emphasis on gender equality. Female attendance reached two-thirds at trainings held in Appronprom. The initial micro and small rural enterprise trainings were completed by the end of March 2015. SAGE²S will be initiated in several other cocoa growing communities.
The SAGE²S program is administered by ADM Cocoa and supported by the World Cocoa Foundation and ADM Cares, ADM’s social investment program that directs funds to initiatives and organizations that drive meaningful social, economic and environmental progress worldwide.