by Erin Gorman

Researchers have found that American women appear to crave chocolate more than women elsewhere in the world. (I’d like to meet those other women; perhaps they just haven’t had Divine Chocolate yet.) But for women cocoa farmers in Ghana, chocolate is much more than a craving. For the women of Kuapa Kokoo, a fair-trade farmers’ cooperative and part owner of Divine Chocolate, chocolate is the way to a bright future.

Fair trade means that farmers are paid a fair price for their crops and receive premiums to invest in their communities. An equally important part of Kuapa Kokoo’s commitment to fair trade is the advancement of democracy to empower farmers in the local and global markets.

Democracy makes it possible for the farmers of Kuapa (45,000 members in 1,200 villages) to discuss how to improve their communities in ways that benefit the greatest number of people. In a world where cocoa farmers are exposed to the vagaries of a market beyond their control, farmers value the ability to speak up for themselves, say what is on their minds, and set the chart for their own futures. Democracy also requires that both men and women take part.

Cecilia Appianim is a cocoa farmer from the village of Asemtem in the Central Region of Ghana. She is also a member of the national executive council for Kuapa Kokoo, and she visited the United States recently to help promote Divine. She explained the importance of women taking part in this way:

“Fair trade has helped us a lot. Because of fair trade, women can come out boldly and take part in every event. Before, it was not like that. Before, we would stay at home and watch the men. And we would work with our husbands and they would take the money, put it in their pockets, and when it came time to buy food or pay school fees they would say the money is gone.

But Kuapa has opened our eyes to see that everything should be 50-50. So if a man has one vote, a woman has one as well. If the men come together to make a decision, then the women are there to take part as well. So now we are empowered, and the men, they cannot cheat us again.

Also because of fair trade, we have many projects for women. We make soap, t-shirts, batik. We grow other foodstuffs and sell in the market and then put some money into the credit union for hardship times or to pay our children's school fees.”

Valentine’s Day is approaching, and we hope that you will celebrate with Divine Chocolate. Women’s History Month follows in March. So, women, as if we need a reason to eat more chocolate, think of Divine as more than a way to satisfy your cravings. Your support is a contribution to democracy and the empowerment of women around the world.

Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana. Lutheran World Relief is an investor in Divine and enthusiastically supports the sale of Divine Chocolate through the LWR Chocolate Project. You can purchase Divine Chocolate through www.LWR.org

from vision to bricks!

The Rwanda English-language Secondary School Project is about to become reality in the town of Rwamagana in eastern Rwanda. The vision and initiative of Robin Stickler,  in cooperation with the Lutheran Church of Rwanda, have chosen a plot of land and are waiting for the town’s final approval for requisition and purchase for a school and church complex.

This will be the first English (as opposed to French) school, and will be unique in several other ways as well. The Lutheran School building will use sustainable energy (solar power, roof water catchments, bio-gas digester toilet system) and will promote sustainable agricultural methods in the school’s gardens (for example, zero-grazing, drip irrigation, terrace trenches, and compost kitchen gardens). The curriculum will be taught through Expeditionary Learning, a pedagogical framework which has received national recognition in the USA and from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for excellence in education.

The town is helping to acquire land. The church congregation is ready to help with carpentry and labor. The Rwandan Ministry of Education has the  proposal for authorization. One hundred boxes of new and used textbooks and library books donated by schools, individuals and church groups are on their way.

Moving to the next step involves bricks, desks, teacher salaries and solar panels to create a school that builds strong community and strong faith….a school that teaches problem solving and critical thinking….a school that promotes strong literacy and math skills….a school that trains future leaders…..a school that welcomes orphans as well as the well-off and a school that teaches tolerance: For more information visit: http://www.rwandaschoolproject.org   Contributions may be made through Ebenezer Lutheran Church, designated “Rwanda School Project.”