S

Save the Children

Global independent charity improving children's lives

ECHO Programme Manager

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
No salary listed
Senior, Expert
Bachelor's, Master's
Vientiane, Laos
In PersonBased in Vientiane Capital, Laos; regular country monitoring visits across Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand are required.
Project & Program ManagementProgram Management

About the job

Requirements
  • An advanced degree (Master’s or equivalent) in International Development, Disaster Risk Reduction, Humanitarian Action, Environmental Studies, International Relations, or a closely related field is essential.
  • A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with significantly extended experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.
  • At least 8 years of progressively responsible programme management experience in humanitarian or development programming, including at least 4 years in senior multi-country or regional roles.
  • Experience managing large, complex multi-partner programmes with budgets over EUR 2 million and multiple national and international implementing partners, preferably in Southeast Asia.
  • Experience managing DG ECHO-funded programmes, including contractual compliance, narrative and financial reporting, budget management, and audit readiness.
  • Technical expertise in at least one of Early Warning Systems, Disaster Risk Reduction, Community-Based Disaster Risk Management, or Anticipatory Action and Early Action Protocols.
  • Experience in consortium management, including sub-award oversight, partner capacity strengthening, and coordination across government and civil society stakeholders.
  • Experience engaging ASEAN regional bodies, UN technical working groups, national disaster risk management authorities, or equivalent regional and global coordination mechanisms.
  • Strong budget management and financial oversight skills for multi-country, multi-partner donor-funded programmes.
  • Excellent written and oral communication in English, including the ability to independently produce donor-ready reports, briefings, and analytical papers.
  • Commitment to child rights, child safeguarding, disability inclusion, and gender equality in programme design and delivery.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the Regional Programme Management Unit, providing strategic direction, work planning, and coordination to country programme teams in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam, and Thailand.
  • Oversee development and timely execution of annual workplans, ensuring coherence across four country contexts and alignment with the three Results framework.
  • Monitor activities against timelines, quality benchmarks, and contractual milestones; lead quarterly programme reviews and adapt implementation plans as needed.
  • Conduct regular country monitoring visits to assess implementation quality, resolve field-level challenges, and provide on-site technical support.
  • Manage programme risks across diverse contexts, including Thailand’s conflict-affected Deep South, applying do-no-harm and conflict-sensitive programming principles.
  • Oversee transboundary programme components with ADPC, particularly Early Warning Systems harmonisation among Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam along the Mekong and its tributaries, engaging with the Mekong River Commission’s forecasting system and national hydro-meteorological agencies.
  • Ensure timely delivery of outputs and outcomes across countries, with a focus on operational feasibility, field realities, and last-mile implementation quality.
  • Maintain and update a programme risk register covering operational, financial, compliance, and contextual risks, with mitigation actions and escalation pathways.
  • Lead the consortium and make decisions on programme direction, risk mitigation, and performance management within agreed governance structures.
  • Manage formal consortium partnerships with ADPC, ensuring sub-award agreements are delivered with quality and accountability within agreed budgets.
  • Facilitate consortium coordination through steering committee meetings, technical working groups, and joint review processes.
  • Oversee division of responsibilities among Save the Children country offices, ADPC’s regional technical team, and Save the Children’s Global Climate and Anticipatory Action Team.
  • Strengthen the capacity of national partners and local civil society organisations in line with localisation commitments and Grand Bargain principles.
  • Ensure consortium partners adhere to safeguarding, anti-fraud, and conflict-of-interest policies, and lead timely, transparent responses to compliance issues.
  • Serve as primary relationship holder with DG ECHO, maintaining communication on programme progress, risks, and strategic opportunities throughout the grant cycle.
  • Exercise delegated day-to-day grant management authority and decision-making in line with DG ECHO regulations and contractual obligations.
  • Lead preparation and quality assurance of interim and final narrative reports, financial reports, and annexes, ensuring timely and compliant submission under ECHO e-Single Form standards.
  • Oversee programme budget management, financial oversight, budget-versus-actual review, forecasting, and audit readiness with regional and country finance teams.
  • Ensure adherence to cost eligibility rules, monitor partner burn rates, and manage underspend, overspend, or ineligible-cost risks.
  • Ensure compliance with DG ECHO visibility and communication requirements, including EU Humanitarian Aid branding.
  • Flag significant deviations, delays, and risks to ECHO; prepare mitigation plans and manage budget amendments, no-cost extensions, and contractual modifications as required.
  • Provide strategic technical oversight across Early Warning Systems harmonisation, community and school preparedness, and ASEAN/regional framework engagement.
  • Work with ADPC and Save the Children’s Global Climate and Anticipatory Action Team to ensure trigger frameworks, standard operating procedures, Early Action Protocols, training curricula, and learning products meet regional best practices and the Child-Centered Early Warning Systems model.
  • Oversee alignment of impact-based trigger thresholds, data-sharing mechanisms, and decision-support tools across Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, including interoperability with regional and national forecasting and data systems.
  • Lead quality assurance of the Community-Based Disaster Risk Management Plus model in Thailand, integrating child protection and anticipatory action into relevant planning and governance processes and supporting national endorsement and potential scale-up.
  • Integrate child protection, disability inclusion, gender equality, and conflict-sensitive approaches into technical outputs and programme interventions.
  • Oversee use and integration of SERVIR-SEA platforms and the Asia-Pacific Technical Working Group on Anticipatory Action Minimum Training Package.
  • Ensure technical approaches are operationally feasible and scalable across diverse country contexts.
  • Represent Save the Children and the consortium at ASEAN bodies, including the ASEAN Committee on Disaster Management, AHA Centre working groups, AADMER processes, and the ASEAN Safe Schools Framework.
  • Engage the Mekong River Commission and inter-governmental technical mechanisms to advance transboundary Early Warning Systems harmonisation.
  • Represent the project at the Asia-Pacific Technical Working Group on Anticipatory Action and contribute evidence to its Regional Roadmap 2023–2027.
  • Engage global anticipatory action platforms, including the Anticipation Hub, Start Network, and OCHA workstreams, to share programme models and learning.
  • Build and maintain relationships with national disaster risk management authorities in all four countries and UN agencies including OCHA, UNDRR, and WFP.
  • Position the programme as an example of child-centred anticipatory action and transboundary early warning systems in regional and global forums.
  • Oversee the programme-level monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning framework with country staff and technical support, ensuring data quality, indicator tracking, and accountability to affected populations.
  • Ensure accessible, inclusive, child-sensitive, and disability-sensitive feedback and complaints mechanisms across programme locations.
  • Lead or commission after-action reviews, mid-term reviews, and the final evaluation, and use findings to guide adaptive management and course corrections.
  • Oversee knowledge management, evidence generation, and learning briefs, including co-development of evidence products with ADPC and Save the Children’s Global Anticipatory Action Team.
  • Ensure programme evidence informs regional and global learning platforms, including ASEAN frameworks, global annual reporting, and contributions to the Asia-Pacific Technical Working Group on Anticipatory Action Minimum Training Package.
  • Ensure programme data and evidence support donor visibility, replication, and scale.
Desired Qualifications
  • Familiarity with ASEAN disaster risk management frameworks, including AADMER and the ASEAN Safe Schools Framework, and regional institutions including the AHA Centre and Mekong River Commission.
  • Knowledge of transboundary water and flood risk management, including multi-country Early Warning Systems data-sharing mechanisms or interoperability challenges.
  • Experience integrating anticipatory action, impact-based forecasting, or cash-based programming into government disaster risk management systems.

About the company

S

Save the Children

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Save the Children is a global, independent charity that helps children in crisis and everyday life. It works in about 120 countries by running programs and campaigns that aim to keep children alive, protect them, help them develop, and let them participate in society. The organization directly delivers services and also advocates for policy changes, working with local partners and communities. Its approach combines field programs with advocacy and partnerships to reach millions of children—last year more than 55 million were helped through its work. What sets it apart is its large international footprint, its clear focus on children’s rights, and its commitment to transparency, collaboration, and integrity while pursuing concrete, measurable changes. The goal is to ensure every child has the right to survival, protection, development, and participation, and to drive immediate and lasting improvements in children’s lives.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Toronto, Canada

Founded

1919

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Vodafone Foundation donated six Instant Network kits on September 24, 2026, improving response speed.
  • Ferrero's Côte d'Ivoire program entered a 2025-2030 phase, extending validated child-protection revenue.
  • ECW's August 24, 2026 Sudan grant gives Save the Children a multi-year implementation platform.

What critics are saying

  • UK slashed its GPE pledge on September 24, 2026, tightening education funding.
  • Yemen's 2026 response plan sits 20% funded, threatening Save the Children operations.
  • Conflict-heavy portfolios in Sudan, Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen expose staff, access, and donor confidence.

What makes Save the Children unique

  • Save the Children International reaches conflict zones and schools in 120+ countries.
  • The September 24, 2026 Vodafone Foundation partnership adds deployable emergency connectivity and cash-transfer tooling.
  • Its local-partner model underpins Sudan education delivery, with nearly 48% budget routed locally.

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Benefits

  • Hybrid Work Options
  • Flexible Work Hours

Company News

Save the Children
Oct 13th, 2026
Save the Children joins HSBC's Disaster Relief Partnership to help communities prepare for natural disasters.

Save the Children joins HSBC's Disaster Relief Partnership to help communities prepare for natural disasters. The 18-month partnership - backed by $4.5 million in funding from HSBC - will support these global humanitarian organisations to respond and provide relief rapidly when natural disasters occur. LONDON, 13 October - Save the Children has joined HSBC's Disaster Relief Partnership, together with UNICEF and the British Red Cross, to help children and communities prepare for natural disasters at a time when crises are becoming more frequent and intense. The 18-month partnership - backed by $4.5 million in funding from HSBC - will support these global humanitarian organisations to respond and provide relief rapidly when natural disasters occur. It will also fund anticipatory action in communities at risk of natural disasters to help them prepare in advance and to become more resilient to natural and humanitarian disasters. This includes investing in warning systems and first-responder training. Pam Kaur, Group Chief Financial Officer, HSBC, said: "In an emergency, speed saves lives, and funding for disaster response has to keep pace. As an international bank with deep roots around the world, HSBC cares deeply about getting support to communities as quickly as Save the Children can in the aftermath of a crisis." The importance of being prepared Extreme weather events are increasing in frequency - and every $1 invested in community-based disaster risk reduction can save an average of over $15 in averted future disaster recovery costs, according to UN analysis[1]. At a time when natural and humanitarian disasters are becoming more frequent and more intense, helping communities prepare for emergencies, and respond faster when crises strike, has never been more crucial. This year alone over 200 million children will urgently need support to survive ongoing global crises. By supporting preparedness, anticipatory action and rapid emergency response, the partnership will ultimately help save lives and help build stronger, more resilient communities for the future. The power of collaboration Learnings from the projects supported over the course of the partnership will be captured and shared. Moazzam Malik, CEO of Save the Children UK, said: "By bringing together HSBC's commitment with the expertise of three leading humanitarian organisations, we have an opportunity not only to deliver practical support, but influence how the wider sector invests in preparedness, anticipatory action and faster humanitarian response." HSBC has been a longstanding provider of funding to Save the Children as well as UNICEF and the British Red Cross. This year HSBC funding has supported its recent relief efforts and provided support to children and communities following the devastating floods in Nepal and Thailand, and after the recent earthquake in Colombia, and they have supported Anticipatory Action in Bangladesh so families could be evacuated and receive early support before the full impacts of heavy rainfall unfolded. 1. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction, 2025 (link). 2. UNICEF does not endorse any company, brand, product or service. For media. Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Global Media Manager: Asia

TechAfrica News
Sep 24th, 2026
Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation partner on technology for emergency response.

Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation partner on technology for emergency response. September 24, 2026 The partnership will strengthen emergency preparedness and humanitarian response and expand access to Vodafone Foundation's technology and connectivity solutions in some of the world's most challenging environments. Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation have announced a new global humanitarian partnership at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), bringing together their humanitarian expertise, technology and global reach to better support children and communities before, during and after emergencies. The partnership will strengthen emergency preparedness and humanitarian response and expand access to Vodafone Foundation's technology and connectivity solutions in some of the world's most challenging environments. The collaboration was announced as recent climate-linked emergencies around the world - including flash floods in Nepal, heatwaves and forest fires globally - as well as ongoing conflict and displacement, continue to put millions of children at risk. These crises underscore the importance of greater investment in resilient infrastructure, technology and partnerships that can help communities better anticipate, withstand and recover from emergencies. A key element of the partnership is Vodafone Foundation's donation of six Instant Network kits - portable communications systems that can rapidly restore connectivity when conventional networks are disrupted by disasters or conflict. Pre-positioned at humanitarian hubs around the world and deployed by Save the Children during emergencies, the kits will help response teams coordinate operations, assess needs and deliver life-saving assistance more quickly. Vodafone Foundation will provide the technology, training and technical support for the kits, while Save the Children will oversee secure routine testing and deployment. Instant Network has already been used by Save the Children during emergency responses, including in Mozambique, where the technology helped improve operational coordination. To mark the launch, Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation co-hosted a high-level roundtable at UNGA, bringing together leaders from government, humanitarian organisations, philanthropy and business to discuss what's needed to prepare for increasingly frequent and complex humanitarian emergencies over the next decade. "Children must be at the heart of every humanitarian response and as recent crises in our world have shown us, we can no longer just react. Communities must be equipped with the tools to better anticipate, withstand and recover from emergencies and technology and better connectivity absolutely plays a vital role. That's why Save the Children's partnership with Vodafone Foundation is an important one that helps to better support communities in times of crisis." - Inger Ashing, CEO, Save the Children "In a crisis, reliable connectivity can make a vital difference - helping responders coordinate more quickly, communities access the support they need and strengthening preparedness for the future. That's why we're pleased to partner with Save the Children, bringing together its humanitarian expertise with Vodafone Foundation's technology and connectivity to support children and communities before, during and after emergencies." - Joakim Reiter, Vodafone Foundation Trustee and Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group "With humanitarian needs higher than ever, and budgets being slashed, it is vital that we do all we can to maximize our impact for those facing their hour of need. Preparedness is at the heart of this and can make all the difference to those in crisis. I've seen for myself the difference it can make - from Sudan, to Ukraine, to Gaza - when skilled local partners work in lockstep with international actors bringing vital resources to communities. The cost of acting only once a crisis has broken out is vast and can be measured in lives destroyed and communities shattered. It's vital we make the case for funding models that can support preparedness, and I welcome all initiatives that bring about faster action and greater impact when it really counts." - Jan Egeland, Secretary General, Norwegian Refugee Council "Anticipatory Action and Early Warning Systems save lives. It is essential that communities are at the heart of these and that they have the funding to act." - Dylan Winder, Director of Global Humanitarian Diplomacy, IFRC The partnership builds on a longstanding relationship between Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation, including collaboration on Skills Upload Junior, part of Vodafone Foundation's wider work supporting young people's digital wellbeing, skills and resilience. The new global partnership extends this relationship into humanitarian preparedness and response. The partnership will also explore how Vodafone Foundation's TerraGuard software and Vodacom's M-Pesa cash-transfer payments could strengthen humanitarian response. Integrating these technologies into Save the Children's systems could help teams anticipate risks and enable assistance to reach families faster and more efficiently. Vodafone Foundation will also support Save the Children's Emergency Fund, enabling rapid response when crises occur and investment in action before disaster strikes. Vodafone Foundation will also join Save the Children's Humanitarian Network, a community of partners committed to faster, more effective humanitarian action for children. The TechAfrica News Podcast

Save the Children
Sep 24th, 2026
Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation launch global partnership to support children before, during and after crises.

Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation launch global partnership to support children before, during and after crises. 24 Sep 2026 Global A key element of the partnership is Vodafone Foundation's donation of six Instant Network kits - portable communications systems that can rapidly restore connectivity. NEW YORK, 24 September 2026 - Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation have announced a new global humanitarian partnership at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, bringing together their humanitarian expertise, technology and global reach to better support children and communities before, during and after emergencies. The partnership will strengthen emergency preparedness and humanitarian response and expand access to Vodafone Foundation's technology and connectivity solutions in some of the world's most challenging environments. The collaboration was announced as recent climate-linked emergencies around the world - including flash floods in Nepal, heatwaves and forest fires globally - as well as ongoing conflict and displacement, continue to put millions of children at risk. These crises underscore the importance of greater investment in resilient infrastructure, technology and partnerships that can help communities better anticipate, withstand and recover from emergencies. A key element of the partnership is Vodafone Foundation's donation of six Instant Network kits - portable communications systems that can rapidly restore connectivity when conventional networks are disrupted by disasters or conflict. Pre-positioned at humanitarian hubs around the world and deployed by Save the Children during emergencies, the kits will help response teams coordinate operations, assess needs and deliver life-saving assistance more quickly. Vodafone Foundation will provide the technology, training and technical support for the kits, while Save the Children will oversee secure routine testing and deployment. Instant Network has already been used by Save the Children during emergency responses, including in Mozambique, where the technology helped improve operational coordination. To mark the launch, Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation co-hosted a high-level roundtable at UNGA, bringing together leaders from government, humanitarian organisations, philanthropy and business to discuss what's needed to prepare for increasingly frequent and complex humanitarian emergencies over the next decade. Inger Ashing, CEO, Save the Children, said: "Children must be at the heart of every humanitarian response and as recent crises in our world have shown us, we can no longer just react. Communities must be equipped with the tools to better anticipate, withstand and recover from emergencies and technology and better connectivity absolutely plays a vital role. That's why Save the Children's partnership with Vodafone Foundation is an important one that helps to better support communities in times of crisis." Joakim Reiter, Vodafone Foundation Trustee and Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group, said: "In a crisis, reliable connectivity can make a vital difference - helping responders coordinate more quickly, communities access the support they need and strengthening preparedness for the future. That's why we're pleased to partner with Save the Children, bringing together its humanitarian expertise with Vodafone Foundation's technology and connectivity to support children and communities before, during and after emergencies." The partnership builds on a longstanding relationship between Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation, including collaboration on Skills Upload Junior, part of Vodafone Foundation's wider work supporting young people's digital wellbeing, skills and resilience. The new global partnership extends this relationship into humanitarian preparedness and response. The partnership will also explore how Vodafone Foundation's TerraGuard software and Vodacom's M-Pesa cash-transfer payments could strengthen humanitarian response. Integrating these technologies into Save the Children's systems could help teams anticipate risks and enable assistance to reach families faster and more efficiently. Vodafone Foundation will also support Save the Children's Emergency Fund, enabling rapid response when crises occur and investment in action before disaster strikes. Vodafone Foundation will also join Save the Children's Humanitarian Network, a community of partners committed to faster, more effective humanitarian action for children. Notes to editors About the partnership Save the Children and Vodafone Foundation have launched a new global humanitarian partnership to strengthen emergency preparedness and response. Vodafone Foundation is donating six Instant Network Kits to restore connectivity when conventional networks are disrupted, and the partners will explore how TerraGuard and Vodacom's M-Pesa payments could help teams anticipate risks and deliver assistance more quickly. The partnership also includes support for Save the Children's Children's Emergency Fund and aims to raise £1 million through Vodafone employee fundraising. In 2025 Save the Children raised £18 million for emergency responses while responding to crises across Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and beyond delivering what children need most during an emergency - food, water, medical care and safe spaces. About Vodafone Foundation Vodafone Foundation uses Vodafone's technology, people and philanthropy to support those impacted by health or humanitarian crises, abuse and the digital divide. Driven by a purpose to connect for good, Vodafone Foundation works with partners across its global footprint to deliver programmes that create safety, inclusion and opportunity for everyone. www.vodafonefoundation.org Media. Amy Sawitta Lefevre, Global Media Manager: Asia

The Truth International
Aug 27th, 2026
Parliament and Save the Children join forces to give Child Rights a stronger voice.

Parliament and Save the Children join forces to give Child Rights a stronger voice. The National Assembly Secretariat and Save the Children International have joined hands to strengthen cooperation on child-specific issues in Pakistan. The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Parliament House in Islamabad on Thursday. The agreement aims to support parliamentary efforts focused on protecting and promoting children's rights. The partnership will also strengthen the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR). Furthermore, it seeks to encourage evidence-based parliamentary engagement on issues affecting children across the country. New partnership focuses on Child Rights. The MoU creates a framework for closer institutional cooperation between Parliament and Save the Children International. It also supports initiatives designed to address the changing needs and challenges faced by children. The agreement includes several areas of cooperation. These include the Children's Citizens Internship Programme and digital protection of children. Both sides will also work on other measures aimed at promoting and protecting child rights in Pakistan. The partnership seeks to contribute to a safer and more inclusive environment for children. At the same time, it aims to strengthen parliamentary initiatives that place children's welfare at the centre of policymaking. Officials attend MoU signing ceremony. National Assembly Secretariat Secretary Saeed Ahmad Maitla and Save the Children International Country Director Muhammad Khurram Gondal signed the agreement. Federal Coordinator of the PCCR and Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Danyal Chaudhry attended the ceremony. MNAs Asia Naz Tanoli and Daniyal Ahmed also participated in the event. Several National Assembly Secretariat officials were present as well. They included Special Secretary (Special Initiatives) Syed Shamoon Hashmi and Chief Technical Advisor Minail Khan. Syed Hazik Bukhari, Iffat Pervaz and Syed M. Arslan Kazmi also attended the ceremony. Save the Children International was represented by Mohammad Amer, Noor ul Amin, Rabia Rauf, Fawad Bakhtiar and Munazza Ali. Focus on a safer future for children. The agreement marks a step towards closer cooperation between Parliament and Save the Children International. More importantly, it reflects a shared commitment to advancing children's rights and well-being. Through stronger institutional coordination, the partnership aims to support child-focused parliamentary initiatives. It also seeks to encourage practical measures for children's protection and participation. The emphasis on digital protection further recognises the importance of creating safer spaces for children in an increasingly digital environment. Overall, the MoU provides a framework for continued cooperation on child rights in Pakistan. It brings parliamentary institutions and child-focused expertise together to support initiatives aimed at building a safer, more supportive and inclusive environment for children.

EuropaWire
Aug 26th, 2026
Cocoa community programme shows gains in school attendance, income resilience and child rights awareness.

Cocoa community programme shows gains in school attendance, income resilience and child rights awareness. (IN BRIEF) Ferrero and Save the Children have reported measurable progress from their long-term partnership supporting children and cocoa-growing communities in Côte d'Ivoire, with results from 2020 to 2025 showing improvements in household income diversification, poverty reduction, school enrolment, attendance, child wellbeing and awareness of children's rights. The programme combines child protection, education and community economic development while working with families, schools, institutions, civil society organisations and cocoa supply-chain actors to address the root causes of child labour. Over the five-year period, households with diversified income sources rose from 24% to 65%, families below the poverty line fell from 60% to 43%, primary school enrolment increased from 78% to 84%, regular school attendance rose from 75% to 97%, and 89% of children attending bridging classes moved into the formal education system. The partnership is now entering a new phase through 2030, strengthened by Italian Development Cooperation, while the project is also being discussed at Cacao Connect - The Italian pathway to cocoa in Africa, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation with partners including Ferrero, Save the Children, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, and ICAM. (PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 26-Aug-2026 - /EuropaWire/ - Ferrero and Save the Children have reported significant progress from their long-term strategic partnership supporting children, families and cocoa-growing communities in Côte d'Ivoire. Results achieved between 2020 and 2025 show improvements in child protection, education, household resilience and youth employment, reflecting an integrated approach to tackling child labour and strengthening communities. The project is also among the topics being addressed at "Cacao Connect - The Italian pathway to cocoa in Africa," promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation together with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Ferrero, Save the Children and ICAM. Child labour in cocoa supply chains remains a systemic challenge. In rural communities, it is linked to interconnected factors including poverty, economic vulnerability, limited access to education and essential services, low awareness of children's rights and a lack of development opportunities. Ferrero and Save the Children said addressing child labour requires more than identifying and preventing individual cases. It also requires action on the root causes that prevent children from growing up protected, remaining in school and accessing better opportunities for the future. The programme uses a holistic model combining child protection, education and community economic development. It involves families, schools, institutions, civil society organisations and actors across the cocoa supply chain. A central part of the model is strengthening the economic resilience of families, helping reduce the conditions that can contribute to child labour. Between 2020 and 2025, the share of households with diversified income sources rose from 24% to 65%. Over the same period, the share of families living below the poverty line declined from 60% to 43%. Education has also been a key pillar of the initiative. Primary school enrolment increased from 78% to 84%, while regular school attendance rose from 75% to 97%. In addition, 89% of children who attended bridging classes, which are designed to help recover missed years of schooling, were later enrolled in the formal education system to complete primary school. The programme also recorded improvements in learning and child wellbeing. More than half of the children involved, 53%, improved their reading, writing and numeracy skills. The proportion of children aged 0 to 5 showing regular body growth increased from 54% to 79%. At the same time, 88% of families reported greater awareness of children's rights, while 94% said they were better able to recognise, prevent and address child labour in their communities. The programme also supported adolescents and young people through vocational training and pathways into employment. By the end of the programme period, 64% of young participants were in paid employment, helping create concrete opportunities for economic independence and future development. Ferrero and Save the Children said the results demonstrate the value of a collaborative model involving local communities, institutions, the private sector and civil society. The approach combines expertise, resources and shared responsibilities, while encouraging knowledge-sharing across public, private and social sectors. The partners said this helps increase the impact of investment and turn effective practices into sustainable and replicable solutions. The model has been measured from the outset through an impact monitoring and evaluation system. Building on the achievements of the 2020-2025 period, the partnership is now entering a new phase that will continue until 2030. This next phase has been further strengthened through the support of Italian Development Cooperation. Daniela Fatarella, Director General of Save the Children Italy, said the results confirm that concrete and lasting change for children, adolescents and families is possible when the root causes of child labour are addressed through an integrated, system-wide approach. She said strengthening child protection, expanding access to education and investing in community development create the conditions for children's rights to be upheld and for communities to become more resilient and prosperous over time. Fatarella added that the partnership with Ferrero, strengthened by the support of Italian Development Cooperation, shows how collaboration between public institutions, the private sector and civil society can deliver measurable, sustainable and replicable impact. She said the initiative also contributes to a more responsible cocoa supply chain that respects children's rights. Francesco Tramontin, Vice President Global Public Affairs at Ferrero, said the results demonstrate the value of long-term investment in cocoa-growing communities. He said the work forms an important part of Ferrero's responsible sourcing approach, combining carefully managed sourcing models with interventions that strengthen children, families and communities. Tramontin said structural challenges such as child labour cannot be solved by any single actor. He said effective models must be expanded by combining expertise and resources and by working not only with governments, but through governments, strengthening local systems and capacities. He added that this is the ambition of Cacao Connect: an open model bringing together public institutions, the private sector, civil society and research to support broader and lasting change in cocoa-growing communities. About Cacao Connect - The Italian pathway to cocoa in Africa The results of the project in Côte d'Ivoire will be discussed today at 14:30 at the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples in Rimini, during the institutional panel "Cacao Connect - The Italian pathway to cocoa in Africa", promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, together with the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, Ferrero, Save the Children and ICAM. The event will bring together representatives of Italian and African institutions, international organisations, the private sector, civil society, financial institutions, research bodies and development cooperation partners to discuss prospects for strengthening international collaboration in support of the sustainable transformation of the cocoa supply chain. The discussion will be moderated by Angelo Riccaboni, economist and former Rector of the University of Siena, and will feature Edmondo Cirielli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mona Helen Kabuki Quartey, Ambassador of Ghana to Italy, Koffi Rodrigue N'GUESSAN, General Director of Rural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Food Crops of Côte d'Ivoire, Kiba Odogu A'Ngatsesse, Advisor for Agriculture, Agribusiness, and Rural Development to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Republic of the Congo, Alex Assanvo, Executive Secretary of the Côte d'Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), Francesco Tramontin, Vice President, Global Public Affairs, Ferrero Group, Adelio Crippa, Chief Executive Officer of ICAM, Carlo Rossotto, Director of International Development Cooperation at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and Daniela Fatarella, Director General of Save the Children Italy. 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