Building on the success of the Community Action for Combating Child Labor project, funded by the Dutch Government and Tradin Organic, the Agro-Tech Development Support project, funded by the European Union through Tradin, is also supporting local communities. 

Launched in January 2024, this phase aims to sustain and further expand agroforestry through effective financial management with Village Savings and Loan Associations at community level.

The project has the objective of sustaining and further expanding agroforestry through effective financial management with Village Savings and Loan Associations at community level. The project has begun transforming livelihoods and promoting sustainability in the cocoa sector.

Phase Two of the project is funded by the European Union, to the tune of  € 215,628 in the first two years of the project’s life cycle.

Role: ChildFund plays a central role in the successful delivery of the project, providing both strategic and operational leadership. Working in close collaboration with Tradin Organic, ChildFund jointly designed the project to ensure it was responsive to community needs and aligned with local priorities. In addition, ChildFund provided ongoing mentoring and coaching support to the Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) Committee members. This helped to build their leadership and financial management skills, ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of the VSLA model in strengthening household and community resilience.

Role: Tradin Organic collaborated closely with ChildFund in the joint design of the project and continues to support its implementation through regular joint monitoring visits to project sites. As the lead implementer of the agroforestry component, Tradin Organic plays a central role in strengthening the cocoa value chain. The organization also serves as a key link between ChildFund and the European Union, helping to ensure alignment with donor expectations and technical standards.

Learn more at https://www.tradinorganic.com/

• Kailahun
• Kenema
• Kono

Progress as of March 2025 – Year One of Implementation

So far, 25 out of the targeted 50 Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) have been successfully structured into Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). These 25 groups have a combined membership of 1,286 individuals.

• The total value of these groups currently stands at SLL 312,410 (€13,700).
  
• Together, they have generated SLL 585,935 (€24,112) in total shares.
• A profit margin of SLL 146,897 (€6,045) has been realized, reflecting growing financial resilience and sustainability among participating farming communities.