As part of activities to eliminate child labour in cocoa growing communities in Ghana, Child Rights International, together with its partners undertake many projects and programs to support, educate and empower children and community members at large.

On International Women’s Day this year, Touton-Eliho, in collaboration with Child Rights International and Glowdep, organised a cooking competition for single women, widows and female heads of households in Acheasewa, a community in the Adansi South District of the Ashanti Region, Ghana.

The aim of the competition was in recognition of the role the women play in determining the nutritional value of food provided in households, how it affects the health of the family unit and the entire community and how eating right can aid in the development of the community. It was also to ensure that mothers and their children are getting all the essential vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed for healthy growth and development.

The selected women were divided into five groups with five different food categories; meal for the aged, meal for lactating mothers, meal for pregnant women, meal for toddlers and meal for adolescent child. Each group showcased their culinary skills.

Judges were available to taste and make their judgement based on kitchen and personal hygiene, utensils, table setting, appearance of food, taste (salt, pepper and spices), texture (hard, smooth, soft), oil quantity and overall performance.

After tasting and judging, Group 1 emerged winners. They prepared Akple and Okro stew with green leaves and pawpaw as dessert. They were presented with an award. All the other groups were also presented with awards.

Health professionals from the Adansi South District were also present to check the health status of women, men and children in the community.

The women of Acheasewa were very excited for hosting this year’s International Women’s Day in their community. The men and children were also thrilled to see their wives, mothers and sisters cook and participate in the competition.

The programme was funded by Ferrero, one of the biggest chocolate producer and confectionery company in the world committed to supporting local communities, promoting active lifestyles, engaging communities towards sustainable agricultural practices and the protection of the environment.