While struggling to break the habit of a chocolate bar a day..(or let’s be honest…more) I became aware of how powerful an addiction to anything can be. Anything that takes away your independent will to make a decision is a form of enslavement.  I was addicted to caffeine and breaking free would require the thing I craved to become a ‘bitter taste’ in my mouth.

In reality, the dark underground that swirls around the underbelly of the cocoa trade in some portions of the west African coast is also slavery…albeit a far more destructive form of human entrapment, the horrible reality of child enslavement.  Of the estimated 300,000 kids working in the cocoa plantations of sub Saharan Africa, approximately 6% of those employed in the Ivory Coast are suspected to be employed through slave labor. The actual numbers range from 12,000 ~ 15,000 kids in the nation of Ivory Coast alone.

According to this compendium of articles, Ivory Coast is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa.  It’s the place where the big players go to get their supplies.  A  2002 report by Oxfam indicates that companies like Argill, Cadbury, Hersheys and Nestle buy their cocoa from commodities exchanges where Ivory Coast cocoa is mixed with other cocoa and sold on the world market.

In a well researched article on CNN Money by Christian Parenti entitled “Chocolate’s Bittersweet Economy” Parenti highlights the enormity of the problem in a country which supplies about 70% of the worlds cocoa.  It is a complex issue which involves the role of government, world markets, big business, extreme poverty and yes…Slavery.

But, it also involves each of us…YOU & I the consumer of these products.  For in the final analysis the market determines the eventual course of most economic entities.  Although slavery is not legal, the practise continues to exist because in simple terms…it can.  Focusing attention and bringing the spotlight to bear exposes the truth in it’s harshest terms. 

A BBC report on Child Slavery points out that the problem is world wide and includes  Asia, the nation of Haiti, Africa, the Middle East and in some parts of South America.  It is not that parents do not love their children; in most cases they are forced to sell their children out of the desperation which comes with abject poverty.

BUT, we err if we sit back and pass judgement and merely look on with consternation.  Because, the system needs an outlet.  Apart from a buyer, the entire house of card collapses.  The price of cocoa on the world commodities market is based largely on the price the western world is willing pay for it’s insatiable desire for the product.  When farmers are not paid a fair wage for their labor and are exploited by middle men, we become a part of the problem.  When we open our eyes and determine to know WHO is behind the product that we are consuming, we enter into line with the solution.

So, every consumer and dollar is a player whether we mentally acquiesce to it or not.  Our delicously sweet chocolate bars may not be that cheap or sweet at all.  In fact, they may be closer to the taste of quinine than any of us ever imagined.  Just a thought…

Once an entrepreneur has been indentified, Trickle UP extends the seed capital to start or expand a business. The money provided to do this is a grant, NOT a loan. Trickle UP works with the poor to develop a business plan, provide training, and provide the seed capital to be successful!

The typical Trickle UP entrepreneur is a woman under 40 who is responsible for raising children and paying for their schooling. Some of the entreprenuers have a disability or are living with HIV or AIDS. Those selected to receive a grant from Trickle UP (both men and women) are hard-working and resourceful.

Help turn someones dream of being self-sufficient into a reality by donating to this program.

Mothers Fighting for Others

Malaria parasites are transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. While there is currently no vaccination for the prevention of Malaria, mosquito nets have been very successful in preventing the spread of this disease. The regions hardest hit by this disease are Central America, Asia, Africa, and South America.

By registering your swim at World Swim Against Malaria and obtaining sponsors, you can make a difference within a community by supplying mosquito nets for the areas most at risk. 100% of the proceeds from your event go directly toward the cause, and none of the money raised is used for administrative salaries or expenses… JUST NETS!

This is a perfect way for swim team members and municipal swimming facilities to raise money and awareness for this cause. Inspire your community to make a difference!

Mothers Fighting for Others

I love, love, love this idea. What a wonderful way to give back to the world.

Want another pair of shoes for yourself? Cool, it might be your 1st pair of TOMS, but it might be the 1st pair of shoes ever for the children in Argentina.

Blake… I wish there were more people like you. I hope someday to meet you.

You inspire me to do more.

Watch here for their very first shoe drop last year in Argentina.

TomsShoes.com