Developing VSLA+CHILD tool to remediate child labour in cocoa areas

The project aims to implement a bottom-up and community-driven approach to tackle the root causes of child labour. The approach is based on the VSLA+GALS concept (Village Savings and Loan Associations + Gender Action Learning System) combined with a specific child labour remediation module (CHILD).

VSLA+GALS is an efficient way to build financial resilience and empowerment of women in rural communities. By integrating a child labour component into VSLA+GALS, farmer households will be guided to prioritise child labour issues in household decision making. Additionally, access to microfinance and training on gender and financial literacy increase financial stability and general wellbeing in households. This is expected to have a positive impact on reducing child labour in the region. It is a bottom-up approach that empowers women, children and smallholder farmers in resource mobilisation, gender transformation and child protection and well-being. VSLAs give access to savings and loans. As recipients of GALS, and having developed a household vision, farmers demonstrated using their financial resources to realise their vision. GALS, in combination with VSLA, increased decision making of women in the household, which tend to prioritise expenditures that benefit the whole household.

Outcomes

• The VSLA+CHILD/GALS has contributed greatly to awareness-raising on child labour, which reflected in allocation of loans to education and more investments in hired adult labour.
• The role of women in household decision-making has also improved thanks to VSLA+CHILD, and the approach that was taken.  
• The GALS training led to prudent use of resources and savings among farmers.
• Particicpation in the VSLA+CHILD/GALS has promoted income diversification building the economic resilient of farmer households. households which ultimately reduces the likelihood of children working or not going to school.