( ofi) – Across cocoa-producing communities in Cameroon, poverty remains widespread, with many farmers struggling to earn a living income. This economic hardship makes it difficult for families to cover school-related expenses for their children. Although the government declared primary education free in 2000, schools in rural cocoa-growing areas face severe challenges, including a critical shortage of teachers. While teachers are often assigned to these schools, many positions remain unfilled.
This obliges communities to rely on Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) levies to hire additional teachers and provide basic supplies. Unfortunately, many parents cannot afford these levies, leaving their children excluded from education. Additionally, the First School Leaving Certificate (Certificat d’Étude Primaire, or CEP)—a vital examination for transitioning from primary to secondary school—costs approximately $20. For many families, this cost is high, further hindering educational access.
Recognizing these challenges, ofi Cameroon launched a scholarship program in 2023 to support children in cocoa communities. Scholarships are awarded based on two main criteria:
- Academic Excellence – Financial assistance is provided to exceptionally bright students.
- Severe Hardship – Children from families facing significant economic difficulties are also supported.
For the 2023/2024 academic year, ofi Cameroon awarded 20 scholarships of approximately $50 each to each pupil from four primary schools in different cocoa-growing communities. In the 2024/2025 academic year, this support expanded to 64 scholarships, each valued at $81. These funds cover key expenses, including Exam fees ($20), PTA fees ($15), Academic books ($40) and other basic school needs.
This initiative, which is a long-term commitment of ofi and its customers, has brought a sense of excitement to schools, inspiring healthy competition among students vying for an ofi scholarship.
Austin Kidzeru, Sustainability Manager at ofi Cameroon, has reaffirmed the company’s unwavering commitment to addressing child labor. He stated, “We intentionally promote academic excellence in a bid to inspire not just children of cocoa farmers but all the pupils in the community. This scholarship program is one of the ways we advance education while sending a strong message against child labor as we want to encourage all our children to go to school”
Bridging living income gaps and addressing poverty is a complex, multi-causal issue that no single company can tackle alone. However, this is an integral part of our commitment to driving sustainable development through collaborative efforts, impactful initiatives, and partnerships aimed at creating lasting change in the communities we serve.
Beyond scholarships, ofi Cameroon distributed over 13,000 exercise books, 1,200 school bags, and other educational materials in 2024. These efforts align with the company’s ongoing commitment to promoting education within its supply chain and combating child labor.
Bridging living income gaps and addressing poverty is a complex, multi-causal issue that no single company can tackle alone. However, this is a part of what we do to tackle child labour and promote thriving communities.
About ofi
ofi (olam food ingredients) is an operating group born out of Olam. ofi offers sustainable, natural, value-added food products and ingredients so that consumers can enjoy the healthy and indulgent products they love, consisting of six leading product platforms in Cocoa, Coffee, Dairy, Nuts, Spices and Food and Beverage Solutions. ofi has built a unique global value chain presence including its own farming operations, farm-gate origination, and manufacturing facilities. ofi partners with customers, leveraging its complementary and differentiated portfolio of ‘on-trend’ food products, to co-create solutions that anticipate and meet changing consumer preferences as demand increases for healthier food that’s traceable and sustainable. ofi has over 29 years of history and heritage in Cameroon, particularly in sourcing cocoa, ofi Cameroon –operates as OFI CAM SA.
