Primary school in cocoa region

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) and Barry Callebaut have announced the completion of a primary school, community and farmer training centre in the western cocoa-growing region of Côte d’Ivoire.

Located in the Abokro, Gabiadji, Bas-Sassandra region of Côte d’Ivoire, the school and community centre will be fully operational for the 2013-2014 school year. About 150 primary school age children from 24 nearby hamlets and villages are enrolled in the new school. The project is a joint community partnership between Hershey and Barry Callebaut.

The rural regions of Côte d’Ivoire suffer from a lack of modern primary school buildings and the new Abokro school will address a long-standing community development need. The Hershey Learn to Grow Abokro school includes three furnished classrooms equipped with solar-powered lighting fixtures, a solar-powered water well, an infirmary, a school canteen at which subsidised meals will be offered, as well as housing for professional teachers and medical staff. Barry Callebaut has previously constructed a medical facility in Goh and the company processes large volumes of cocoa at its nearby San Pedro facility.