THE IVORY COAST IS THE WORLDS LARGEST PRODUCER OF COCOA. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST RATE OF CHILD LABOUR. LOTS OF THE CHOCOLATE WE EAT COMES FROM THE HANDS OF THESE CHILDREN.

INSPIRIT IS AN NGO LOOKING FOR FUNDS AND VOLUNTEERS TO BUILD 5 SCHOOLS IN THE IVORY COAST. OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF CHILD LABOUR IN THE COCOA FIELDS.

WE CREATED THE “INSPIRIT” WARM COCOA BRAND AND SET UP A STAND IN THE OEIRAS PARQUE SHOPPING CENTRE, OFFERING FREE SAMPLES TO SHOPPERS.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED BY WHAT WE DID AND OUR VIDEO SPREAD QUICKLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.

ON THE VERY SAME DAY THAT IT WAS POSTED ONLINE, ARTICLES ABOUT THE FILM FEATURED IN SEVERAL PORTUGUESE NEWSPAPERS. THE FILM ALSO BECAME THE SUBJECT OF DEBATE ON TV AND THE FOLLOWING DAY IT WAS DISCUSSED ON RÁDIO COMERCIAL.

AFTER HAVING SURPRISED THE PORTUGUESE GENERAL PUBLIC, “INSPIRIT” WARM COCOA HIT THE HEADLINES AROUND THE WORLD AND WAS DISCUSSED IN ALL THE MAJOR NEWSPAPERS, SITES AND BLOGS IN THE WORLD OF COMMUNICATION.

UP TO NOW ALL IS WELL. BUT, AS IT TURNS OUT, THE WARM COCOA WAS DISGUSTING; COMPLETELY BITTER AND IMPOSSIBLE TO DRINK. WHILST THEY WERE DRINKING THE WARM COCOA, THEY WERE CONFRONTED WITH OUR MESSAGE: ‘LIFE FOR CHILDREN WORKING IN THE COCOA FIELDS IS ANYTHING BUT SWEET’. WE RECORDED EVERYTHING VIA HIDDEN CAMERAS AND THE FILM WAS LATER UPLOADED ON YOUTUBE.