• 9 new primary classrooms in 3 villages
• Primary school development includes additional infrastructure such as canteen, borehole, latrines, solar energy or teacher housing
• 12 primary schools built to date

The Barry Callebaut Group, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, inaugurated three education projects in rural cocoa farming communities of Côte d’Ivoire. The construction and equipment of these schools were funded by the Cocoa Horizons Foundation. The projects provide access to quality school facilities for approximately 450 children at the primary school level.

This infrastructure was built as part of the Cocoa Horizons Foundation’s community development program which covers Education, Child Protection, Women's Empowerment and Health.

In March 2016, Barry Callebaut, on behalf of the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, inaugurated three new blocks of classrooms. This brings the total number of classrooms in 12 primary schools built in Côte d’Ivoire to 45, benefiting 2,300 children. The village of Diangobo received a new school with three furnished classrooms, solar lighting and a headmaster’s office. The new school in N’Gattakoffikro includes three furnished classrooms, with solar lighting as well as a canteen, a borehole, latrines and teacher housing. The existing school in Sayoubakro received an additional block of three furnished classrooms, including solar lighting and a headmaster’s office. It also received books and storage cupboard donated by Barry Callebaut’s customer Purdys Chocolatier.

“The partnership between the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, Barry Callebaut and the cocoa farmer cooperative COAB brings the number of classrooms in Sayoubakro to six, benefitting more than 200 children “, said Mr Moro Kouassi, the representative of the Regional Office of National Education. “This contribution is welcome and encouraging, since it actively supports the national policy of Côte d'Ivoire to make school attendance compulsory for all children aged 6 to 16 years.”

"Education is the cornerstone of our community development activities under the Cocoa Horizons Foundation’s sustainability mission, and we are proud to partner with the cocoa cooperatives CADI, CANS and COAB to contribute new primary classrooms and school infrastructure in these three villages. We see thriving schools as a sign of thriving communities, and a shared responsibility. We thank the Ministry of Education for their continued guidance and support of our efforts," said Nicko Debenham, President of the Board of the Cocoa Horizons Foundation and VP Global Cocoa Sustainability at Barry Callebaut.

Over the past year, the Cocoa Horizons Foundation acting through Barry Callebaut  also distributed a total of 2,000 school kits to children of cocoa farmers from 17 cooperatives. These school kits include a backpack with pencil case, exercise books, pens and ruler.

About Barry Callebaut Group:
With annual sales of about CHF 6.2 billion (EUR 5.6 billion / USD 6.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014/15, the Zurich-based Barry Callebaut Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products – from sourcing and processing cocoa beans to producing the finest chocolates, including chocolate fillings, decorations and compounds. The Group runs more than 50 production facilities worldwide and employs a diverse and dedicated global workforce of more than 9,000 people.
The Barry Callebaut Group serves the entire food industry, from industrial food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users of chocolate, such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants or caterers. The two global brands catering to the specific needs of these Gourmet customers are Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®. The Barry Callebaut Group is committed to sustainable cocoa production to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods. It supports the Cocoa Horizons Foundation in its goal to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future.

About the Cocoa Horizons Foundation (www.cocoahorizons.org):
The Cocoa Horizons Foundation was formally established in 2015 in Zurich, Switzerland and is supervised by the Swiss Federal Foundation Supervisory Authority. Its mission is to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their communities through the promotion of sustainable, entrepreneurial farming, improved productivity and community development. The Foundation’s Board of Directors includes two directors appointed by Barry Callebaut and one independent, external director. The Foundation is audited annually to demonstrate compliance with Swiss federal regulations.