Cadbury donate bicycles to school children in Akyem

Cadbury Cocoa Partnership (CCP) has donated bicycles to more than 1,000 children of cocoa farmers in the West Akyem District, who walk more than six kilometers each day to school.

Mrs Yaa Pepra Amekudzi, the Country Director of the CCP, said the gesture was to promote education, especially among children of cocoa farmers.

She said the CCP was committed to promoting the wellbeing of cocoa farmers and their children.

Mrs Thelma Thompson, Programs Officer of the Volunteer Services Overseas, asked beneficiaries of the donation to use the means of transport for the intended purpose.

The District Chief Executive of Upper-West Akyem, Derrick Asifo-Bekoe, said the bicycle project would help raise academic standards in the area.

He said the low educational performance was mainly because teachers and school children had to walk long distances to school.

Mr Asifo-Bekoe gave the assurance that government would work hard to improve the wellbeing of people in cocoa growing areas.

In 2008 when the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership was established in Ghana by the Cadbury International, it instituted the bicycle project in collaboration with Cadbury Canada to support the education of children in cocoa growing areas.

The CCP has so far donated 15,000 bicycles to school children and teachers in some cocoa growing communities, and health workers.