Where we work
Project Hope & Fairness works with cocoa growing villages in the heart of Côte d'Ivoire, which is the largest cocoa producing country in the world. An extimated 2.5 million farmers grow cocoa in West Africa. Average earnings are $400 per year. This leaves many in poverty and unable to provide for the basics of life -- food, health care, and school materials for their children.
Cocoa farmers generally work with local cooperatives to sell the beans they grow.
The cocoa farmers and cooperatives grow and process the beans, and these beans are sold for processing or export. Growing and providing quality beans requires talent and effort. It involves not only the right soil and shade conditions but also days of fermenting and drying the beans. Outstanding chocolate with natural (not artificial) flavors demands special efforts.
By connecting cocoa farmers with chocolate making, farmers (some for the first time) are learning firsthand how their work impacts the final product. Knowledge of the best bean processing methods (fermenting, drying) helps increase the value of the beans.
Product development (bars, specialty confections with chocolate and local fruits and nuts, and cocoa butter) and skills in packaging, marketing, and selling chocolate as well as business management are all part of boosting skills, participation in the chocolate value chain, and raising incomes.
Village Chocolate Production and Training
Given the many steps and critical elements of making quality chocolate, Project Hope and Fairness has developed videos and training materials to provide lasting educational assets. We are creating a cadre of in-country choco-preneurs. Below is a gallery of pictures from a training session in 2025. The video at the end is of the agro-forester Maxime in which he describes the mission of Project Hope and Fairness.
