In August and September, our co-founder and CEO, Julius Emmrich , visited key projects in Ghana and Madagascar. These trips were instrumental in gaining insights and driving progress for our mission. With established projects in both countries, Julius assessed our achievements and gathered valuable learnings for the future. So, what happened during these visits?

Ghana: Expanding Reach and Improving Processes

Ghana is one of our key operational regions, and we are preparing for broader expansions across nearly all cocoa-growing areas by 2025. A critical part of this expansion is the upcoming opening of regional offices, which will serve as operational hubs, optimizing support and streamlining activities.

Julius’s visit focused on scaling our sensitization efforts to ensure farmers are fully informed and supported. During a sensitization event with Program Manager Wilhelmina Tetteh, key insights emerged on improving engagement and building trust, crucial for seamless onboarding.

At a large registration event with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Julius explored ways to streamline the enrollment process. Key learnings included improving efficiency and addressing farmer concerns about lost workdays and school time, helping to boost participation by making registration more accessible.

Julius also worked to strengthen partnerships, aligning with healthcare staff as we prepare to onboard 25 new health facilities through our collaboration with Tony’s Chocolonely.

Madagascar: Farmer Engagement and Community Collaboration

Madagascar presented valuable opportunities for learning and growth. With a smaller team compared to Ghana, we collaborate closely with supplier teams to maintain efficiency. This approach has strengthened relationships with both suppliers and farming communities. Julius’s visit confirmed the success of this model, offering insights into team dynamics and external collaboration.

Partnership building was a key focus, as Julius attended farmer roundtable meetings, which provide direct feedback on our programs. Farmers expressed their appreciation for these sessions, valuing the chance to share concerns and contribute to program improvements.

As we plan to expand into new commodities and regions in 2025, strong collaboration with external partners will be critical for scaling our operations effectively across Madagascar.

Looking Forward…

Both of Julius’s trips to Ghana and Madagascar provided great learning experiences that will inform our future strategies. But not only learnings – the trips were full of feedback which reaffirmed our accomplishments and demonstrated how well we are integrated in the local and regional contexts we work in.

We are excited to implement these learnings and look forward to continued growth and engagement with the communities we serve.