Elizabeth Guzman
The Dark Side of Chocolate
The Dark Side of Chocolate
To everyone chocolate is so good and a great treat. But little do we know the pain that it causes million of children in West Africa. But the Western chocolate consumers know there is nothing sweet and nothing innocent about slavery. These children are put as slaves. They are taken away from their family, their education is being taken away as well. Child labor is unfair and is not justice. Big companies like Heresy and M&M have a big impact on cocoa chocolate slavery. We should stop the abuse of these children . Organic chocolate taste the same and is much better for you its even comes fields that maintain itself and there’s no need to have slaves. Organic chocolate is the best chocolate to start eating.
West Africa is by far the world’s largest supplier of the cocoa beans. They provide 43% of supply to the world. Not only are they the largest, but west Africa has 600,000 plantations on cocoa beans. The fact that these plantations are so huge, there are about 15,000 children working on these field. The conditions of working and living are mostly brutal. Most places don’t have electricity, water nor hospital or schools. These kids are sold as slaves to keep the plantations maintain. These kids are no older then 12-14 years old. They are forced to work over 100 hours a week and don’t get paid anything. They get mistreated and beaten almost daily. “ The beating were a part of my life, anytime they loaded you with a bag(of cocoa beans) and you fell while carrying them, nobody helped you , instead they beat you and beat you until you picked it up again” states Aly Diabate a freed slave who reported to the news. Its really unfair how these young kids get beaten and mistreated the way they do. Framers cared less for the children and more for their plantations. Its so wrong that no one stood up for the right of these kids. Today no organic cocoa beans are coming from the Ivory coast, organic chocolate is not being picked from slaves, it comes from Costa Rica where the farms are closely monitored.
Child labor is an issue that’s all around the world today. These children are being treated as slaves. These slaves are forced to work everyday from morning till night with having anything to eat. These children should be going to school and be treated very healthy. According to the British Broadcasting company in 2000, “ Hundred of thousands of children are being purchased from their parents…… in some cases outright stolen and they get shipped to these plantations and sold as slaves.” This is wrong! They are not allow to be in contact with their family. Children should be given an education not work or in this case be slave. These parents sell their children believing they find work and be able send some money back home. There are families that cant afford to send their children to school so they have no choice but to work and help out around the house. Madi who is 10 years old has this issue , “ I don’t like work, I would rather do something else, but I have to do this.” Madi family couldn’t afford to send him to school only 2 miles away. In some cases there are children who really have no choice but to help out their mom and their siblings as well.
Most companies like Hershey and M&M control half of the market of chocolate. These company use a huge amount of cocoa beans from west Africa. These companies are the largest chocolate maker. The companies been involved with the slavery of child for thousands of years. “ Shocked and deeply concerned…. Embarrassed by revelations of indirect involvement with children slavery.” was their responded when they found out that the chocolate they used were produced by child slavery. Therefore with the Hershey market capitalization on wall street who makes billions of dollars decided to become affiliated with many schools and orphans and disadvantage children. I strongly believed that it is still wrong. These companies are getting best of both worlds, they still are being provided with their best chocolate that makes millions of dollars, and the money they get they provide it to the kids are in need of it. But nothing is being done to better the life of these children in Africa who work hard, and get paid in beaten by there owner.
Major companies makers say they not responsible for the problem of slavery in the cocoa farms in the West Africa. On October 1,2001, the chocolate industry wanted to make a four year plan to eliminate child slavery in the cocoa nation. But as of today slavery is still going now. An effective way to stop child labor would be for the government of Ivory Coast to invest more taxes on the cocoa, and that money can go to the education and services to help out the farmers. “…………the nongovernmental watchdog group… and it seems happier making up excuses then changes” states the Chocolate bittersweet economy. This shows how even if there would be some kind of change to stop the child labor, it still wont be done. They rather keep these kids without an education and rather keep mistreating them for the benefits of themselves.
Its harsh to know that when we enjoy a great piece of chocolate, that its coming from children who have worked so hard and is being abused and mistreated in everyway possible. After doing this paper and the research my whole mindset changed. of chocolate. I was shocked and amazed how wrong these children are being treated. I was even more shock to find out that there is still slavery going on all over the world still. I feel this isn’t fair at all, these children should have a better life , get educated and find a better life to live. Am going to start eating organic chocolate from now on, is still chocolate and it taste the same as well. It’s even better because it doesn’t come from plantations where children are being abused and mistreated.
These follwoing video shows you the hard work that these young children go threw daily.
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zNMubFmx6qM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cSBXSXAxVOU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Work cited page
1."Is There Slavery In Your Chocolate?" John Robbins Official Site. 19 Apr. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://johnrobbins.info/blog/is-there-slavery-in-your-chocolate>.
2."Is There Slavery In Your Chocolate?" John Robbins Official Site. 19 Apr. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://johnrobbins.info/blog/is-there-slavery-in-your-chocolate>.
3.Linnell, Patti. "Not so Sweet Chocolate." IHS Child Slave Labor News :: Home. Dec. 2006. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://ihscslnews.org/view_article.php>.
4.Parenti, Christian. "Chocolate's Bittersweet Economy." CNN Money. 15 Feb. 2008. Web. <http://money.cnn.com>.
West Africa is by far the world’s largest supplier of the cocoa beans. They provide 43% of supply to the world. Not only are they the largest, but west Africa has 600,000 plantations on cocoa beans. The fact that these plantations are so huge, there are about 15,000 children working on these field. The conditions of working and living are mostly brutal. Most places don’t have electricity, water nor hospital or schools. These kids are sold as slaves to keep the plantations maintain. These kids are no older then 12-14 years old. They are forced to work over 100 hours a week and don’t get paid anything. They get mistreated and beaten almost daily. “ The beating were a part of my life, anytime they loaded you with a bag(of cocoa beans) and you fell while carrying them, nobody helped you , instead they beat you and beat you until you picked it up again” states Aly Diabate a freed slave who reported to the news. Its really unfair how these young kids get beaten and mistreated the way they do. Framers cared less for the children and more for their plantations. Its so wrong that no one stood up for the right of these kids. Today no organic cocoa beans are coming from the Ivory coast, organic chocolate is not being picked from slaves, it comes from Costa Rica where the farms are closely monitored.
Child labor is an issue that’s all around the world today. These children are being treated as slaves. These slaves are forced to work everyday from morning till night with having anything to eat. These children should be going to school and be treated very healthy. According to the British Broadcasting company in 2000, “ Hundred of thousands of children are being purchased from their parents…… in some cases outright stolen and they get shipped to these plantations and sold as slaves.” This is wrong! They are not allow to be in contact with their family. Children should be given an education not work or in this case be slave. These parents sell their children believing they find work and be able send some money back home. There are families that cant afford to send their children to school so they have no choice but to work and help out around the house. Madi who is 10 years old has this issue , “ I don’t like work, I would rather do something else, but I have to do this.” Madi family couldn’t afford to send him to school only 2 miles away. In some cases there are children who really have no choice but to help out their mom and their siblings as well.
Most companies like Hershey and M&M control half of the market of chocolate. These company use a huge amount of cocoa beans from west Africa. These companies are the largest chocolate maker. The companies been involved with the slavery of child for thousands of years. “ Shocked and deeply concerned…. Embarrassed by revelations of indirect involvement with children slavery.” was their responded when they found out that the chocolate they used were produced by child slavery. Therefore with the Hershey market capitalization on wall street who makes billions of dollars decided to become affiliated with many schools and orphans and disadvantage children. I strongly believed that it is still wrong. These companies are getting best of both worlds, they still are being provided with their best chocolate that makes millions of dollars, and the money they get they provide it to the kids are in need of it. But nothing is being done to better the life of these children in Africa who work hard, and get paid in beaten by there owner.
Major companies makers say they not responsible for the problem of slavery in the cocoa farms in the West Africa. On October 1,2001, the chocolate industry wanted to make a four year plan to eliminate child slavery in the cocoa nation. But as of today slavery is still going now. An effective way to stop child labor would be for the government of Ivory Coast to invest more taxes on the cocoa, and that money can go to the education and services to help out the farmers. “…………the nongovernmental watchdog group… and it seems happier making up excuses then changes” states the Chocolate bittersweet economy. This shows how even if there would be some kind of change to stop the child labor, it still wont be done. They rather keep these kids without an education and rather keep mistreating them for the benefits of themselves.
Its harsh to know that when we enjoy a great piece of chocolate, that its coming from children who have worked so hard and is being abused and mistreated in everyway possible. After doing this paper and the research my whole mindset changed. of chocolate. I was shocked and amazed how wrong these children are being treated. I was even more shock to find out that there is still slavery going on all over the world still. I feel this isn’t fair at all, these children should have a better life , get educated and find a better life to live. Am going to start eating organic chocolate from now on, is still chocolate and it taste the same as well. It’s even better because it doesn’t come from plantations where children are being abused and mistreated.
These follwoing video shows you the hard work that these young children go threw daily.
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zNMubFmx6qM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cSBXSXAxVOU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Work cited page
1."Is There Slavery In Your Chocolate?" John Robbins Official Site. 19 Apr. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://johnrobbins.info/blog/is-there-slavery-in-your-chocolate>.
2."Is There Slavery In Your Chocolate?" John Robbins Official Site. 19 Apr. 2010. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://johnrobbins.info/blog/is-there-slavery-in-your-chocolate>.
3.Linnell, Patti. "Not so Sweet Chocolate." IHS Child Slave Labor News :: Home. Dec. 2006. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://ihscslnews.org/view_article.php>.
4.Parenti, Christian. "Chocolate's Bittersweet Economy." CNN Money. 15 Feb. 2008. Web. <http://money.cnn.com>.
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