By KRC FM Reporter
Rainforest Alliance and her partners has launched another three-year project aiming at eliminating child labour in the coffee growing communities in Rwenzori Sub Region.
Titled, Rwenzori Education Livelihoods and Gender project, it will benefit communities in the three sub counties of Maliba, Kilembe and Bugoye targeting 3,000 coffee growing householdsand 10 schools.
The project is funded by the Netherlands ministry of Foreign Affairs and with additional support from Nepresso.
With partners, rainforest alliance just ended a related three-year project titled “child education project.” in the region.
Paul Gitta, the project consultant at Rainforest Alliance said they are collaborating with Kyagulanyi coffee limited and Community Empowerment for Rural Development-CEFORD to address the root causes of child labor, enhance enrollment and retention of the girl child in school and improve household incomes.
Also unique with the new project, they will offer life skills to the youth in the benefiting sub county so that they can tap earning from the coffee value chain.
Gitta is optimistic that by the end of three years, farmers in the benefiting sub counties will have the capacity and livelihood strategies that support their children’s development and education.
He adds that they have equally working with local leader and other local stakeholders to ensure the project deliver fruits.
Asipkwe Jean Christable, the Executive Director CEFORD told KRC FM that this intervention is to create awareness among community members about the value of education.
She added that they will also be focusing on educating households on alternative sources of incomes and improving gender relationships as a tool towards supporting education of children.
William Muthahinga Bwambale, the Kasese District Community Development officer is pleased with the gender component in the project arguing that domestic violence has been a key cause of school drop out rates especially among girls.
He pledged the district’s commitment to support the project appealing for more support form development partners.
The Kasese District LCV Eliphaz Muhindi, said the project is fitting well in the government’s commitment to end child labour and support improved household incomes.
He asked the partners to stretch the project to other areas in the district.
Last month, the European Union Council imposed obligations on companies to address all negative impacts caused by any commercial activities from both an environmental and human rights perspective.
