Final Evaluation of the project ‘Stop Child Labour in Cocoa Sourcing Communities’

‘Stop Child Labour in Cocoa Sourcing Communities’ project was implemented in Côte d’Ivoire from 2020 to 2025 in partnership with Ferrero.
To respond to persistently high rates of child labour in cocoa production and recognising that child labour is deeply embedded within broader systems of poverty, limited educational access, social norms, and under-resourced child protection institutions”, Save the Children Italy developed a holistic multi-sectoral approach to reduce the risk factors associated with child labour and hazardous work among children in cocoa‑growing communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
The final evaluation assessed effectiveness, impact, inclusion, sustainability, stakeholder experience and cost-efficiency. Using a mixed-methods longitudinal design, the evaluation found substantial reductions in child labour and hazardous work, alongside improvements in school enrolment and attendance, household income diversification, child protection systems and women’s decision-making.
The project holistic approach was a key driver of results and strengthened alignment between private-sector monitoring and national child protection systems.
Sustainability prospects are strongest at household and community levels, but remain fragile institutionally due to limited public-sector resources and capacity. Inclusion and youth employment outcomes were positive but uneven, while the integrated Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation model showed promising but partial institutionalisation.
Overall, the project made a significant contribution to reducing child labour and strengthening protective environments, with continued public investment, institutionalisation and sustained public–private collaboration required to consolidate and scale results.