What work do children do in this industry?
A child workers day begins at sunrise and ends in the evening. The children climb the cocoa trees and cut the bean pods off using a machete. These large, heavy, dangerous knives are the standard tools for children on the cocoa farms. Once the bean pods have been cut from the trees, the children pack the pods into large sacks and carry or drag them through the forest. Bags could be bigger than the child carrying them.
Once carried to the appropriate place, the child, holding a single large pod in one hand, strikes the pod with the machete and pries it open with the tip of the blade, revealing the cocoa beans. Each strike of the machete could severely cut a child’s fingers or hand. Virtually every child has scars on the hands, arms, legs or shoulders from accidents with the machete.
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In addition to the hazards of using a machete, children are also commonly exposed to agricultural chemicals. Tropical regions (such as the Ivory Coast) consistently have to deal with large insect populations and without protective equipment, the children have to spray the pods with large amounts of hazardous chemicals.
If a farmer or the farm owner finds a child that is not hurrying or working "well enough" then that child will be beaten.
All in all the daily life of these children is very long, hard and dangerous, something a child should NEVER be put through!
All in all the daily life of these children is very long, hard and dangerous, something a child should NEVER be put through!