Nestlé Ghana, in collaboration with ECOM Ghana, has inaugurated newly constructed school buildings in cocoa-growing communities in Suhum in the Eastern Region as part of efforts to improve education and reduce child labour in rural areas.

The project, commissioned on Friday, May 22, 2026, is expected to provide a better learning environment for hundreds of children who previously studied under poor conditions or had to travel long distances to access education.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Director of ECOM Ghana, Sudhir Kumar, described the initiative as a life-changing intervention for the beneficiary communities, revealing that the condition of the old school structures discouraged many children from attending school.

“This project has been a very exciting one for us. When we first carried out the needs assessment, we realised that more than 200 children were enrolled in the school, but the state of the building was so poor that no child would feel encouraged to study there,” he said.

According to him, the absence of decent educational facilities in the area forced children to walk several kilometres in search of schools, exposing many of them to child labour and other social risks.

“When we conducted the assessment, we noticed that some of the children had to travel about five to six kilometres just to attend school elsewhere. In situations where there are no proper schools, children can easily be pushed into child labour,” he stated.

Kumar noted that ECOM Ghana’s commitment to supporting education stems from its broader vision of promoting prosperity in rural communities, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved without investing in children.

“Over the years, what we have worked towards is prosperity in rural communities, and that prosperity cannot be achieved without education. Investing in education means investing in Ghana and investing in the future of the country,” he added.

He further described the project as a shared commitment between Nestlé Ghana, ECOM Ghana and the local communities, expressing confidence that the school would positively impact generations to come.

“I believe this school represents a collective effort between Nestlé, the community and ECOM Ghana. I am proud that together we have been able to achieve this, and I believe it will go a long way in nurturing not only the children but the entire community and the country as a whole,” he noted.

Kumar also urged residents to maintain the facility to ensure future generations continue to benefit from the intervention.

“I truly hope the community will take good care of this school so that many generations after us will continue to benefit from it,” he said.

ANAS/MA

Sudhir Kumar reveals vision behind Nestlé ECOM community school project