Our International Projects
Our work abroad
INKOTA promotes projects with partner organizations in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, India, and Vietnam. Our main objective within our projects abroad is to better the living conditions for socially, economically, and politically disadvantaged groups. Thereby, we don’t only focus on satisfying legitimate needs, but also try to empower people to awaken their own potentials and in the process help them support their own organizations. We also enable them to fully understand their situations and their rights so that those can be upheld.
Furthermore, the areas of rural development and food sovereignty are especially important. In times of climate catastrophe, local environmental protection and adjustment to climate change are playing an increasingly important role. In order to improve the political framework conditions at both regional and national levels, we network with international partner organizations from the Global North and South.
Ghana
Africa
In our three African project countries, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mozambique, we address two main problems: (i) securing a living wage for cocoa farmers and (ii) fighting against hunger.
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the two largest cocoa producers. To achieve the best impact, we believe it is extremely important to fight for fair prices for cocoa farmers and for them to have a say, especially in these two countries. Currently, cocoa farmers only receive 8 cents (euro) from the sale of a bar of chocolate. In addition, child labor is still used in the cocoa industry. That is why INKOTA has partnered with the locally based Inades Foundation to establish the “Plateforme Ivoirienne pour le Cacao Durable” in 2022 to advance common demands in Côte d’Ivoire and Europe. For example, we are committed to stopping the use of pesticides that are harmful to health and the environment and which are already banned in the EU. Moreover, we are committed to protecting forests and overseeing supply chains to ensure transparency and full traceability of cocoa cultivations. With your donations, we can also carry out additional studies and calculations that can uncover injustices in the cocoa industry. With this, we are able to discuss, implement, and guarantee cocoa prices that ensure a living wage for cocoa farmers.
In Mozambique, we are committed to putting an end to hunger, as the harvests there are becoming increasingly poor due to advancing climate change. Together with our partners AMDER and UNAC, we help residents adapt to climate change and still achieve good harvests. For example, this is achievable by supporting climate-friendly irrigation systems during the dry season or by growing more diverse and local seeds. Local varieties are better acclimated to local weather conditions and do not contain harmful pesticides as is often the case with hybrid varieties from large corporations. This also makes them more sustainable. Donations ensure that large corporations are not able to expand further and that farmers receive needed supplies to save and use their local seeds.
In our three African project countries, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Mozambique, we address two main problems: (i) securing a living wage for cocoa farmers and (ii) fighting against hunger.
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are the two largest cocoa producers. To achieve the best impact, we believe it is extremely important to fight for fair prices for cocoa farmers and for them to have a say, especially in these two countries. Currently, cocoa farmers only receive 8 cents (euro) from the sale of a bar of chocolate. In addition, child labor is still used in the cocoa industry. That is why INKOTA has partnered with the locally based Inades Foundation to establish the “Plateforme Ivoirienne pour le Cacao Durable” in 2022 to advance common demands in Côte d’Ivoire and Europe. For example, we are committed to stopping the use of pesticides that are harmful to health and the environment and which are already banned in the EU. Moreover, we are committed to protecting forests and overseeing supply chains to ensure transparency and full traceability of cocoa cultivations. With your donations, we can also carry out additional studies and calculations that can uncover injustices in the cocoa industry. With this, we are able to discuss, implement, and guarantee cocoa prices that ensure a living wage for cocoa farmers.
In Mozambique, we are committed to putting an end to hunger, as the harvests there are becoming increasingly poor due to advancing climate change. Together with our partners AMDER and UNAC, we help residents adapt to climate change and still achieve good harvests. For example, this is achievable by supporting climate-friendly irrigation systems during the dry season or by growing more diverse and local seeds. Local varieties are better acclimated to local weather conditions and do not contain harmful pesticides as is often the case with hybrid varieties from large corporations. This also makes them more sustainable. Donations ensure that large corporations are not able to expand further and that farmers receive needed supplies to save and use their local seeds.
Central America
In our project countries of El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, we work on three main areas that are of great importance throughout the Central American region: (i) the human right to clean water, (ii) dealing with the consequences of climate change, and (iii) strengthening and protecting women’s rights.
INKOTA advocates for the right to clean water in all three of our project countries. The reason is that there is not enough water for the villagers and their fields because water is privatized, companies are prioritized, and sugar cane plantations are constantly expanding. For example, our partner organizations MadreSelva (CMS) and Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña (UNES) support the people of El Salvador and Guatemala to fight back against pollution and water contamination caused by silver and gold mines to ensure clean water for all.
The cultivation of large sugar cane plantations also robs communities in El Salvador of their water and pollutes it. As a result, kidney failure is the second most common cause of death for plantation workers. That is why INKOTA is helping the campaign for better protection of workers in the affected communities.
When dealing with the consequences of climate change, INKOTA is committed to supporting resilient small-scale farming families in Nicaragua. Throughout the project, the affected people are given sufficient resources so that they can rely on them during droughts and extreme weather events. There are three proposed solutions for this: agroecology, climate monitoring, and climate policy.
In Central America, women’s rights are supported through various projects. One of these is the “Freedom for the 17 and More” campaign, which focuses on improving abortion rights in El Salvador. INKOTA has been supporting their public relations work through donations for over 10 years.
In our project countries of El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, we work on three main areas that are of great importance throughout the Central American region: (i) the human right to clean water, (ii) dealing with the consequences of climate change, and (iii) strengthening and protecting women’s rights.
INKOTA advocates for the right to clean water in all three of our project countries. The reason is that there is not enough water for the villagers and their fields because water is privatized, companies are prioritized, and sugar cane plantations are constantly expanding. For example, our partner organizations MadreSelva (CMS) and Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña (UNES) support the people of El Salvador and Guatemala to fight back against pollution and water contamination caused by silver and gold mines to ensure clean water for all.
The cultivation of large sugar cane plantations also robs communities in El Salvador of their water and pollutes it. As a result, kidney failure is the second most common cause of death for plantation workers. That is why INKOTA is helping the campaign for better protection of workers in the affected communities.
When dealing with the consequences of climate change, INKOTA is committed to supporting resilient small-scale farming families in Nicaragua. Throughout the project, the affected people are given sufficient resources so that they can rely on them during droughts and extreme weather events. There are three proposed solutions for this: agroecology, climate monitoring, and climate policy.
In Central America, women’s rights are supported through various projects. One of these is the “Freedom for the 17 and More” campaign, which focuses on improving abortion rights in El Salvador. INKOTA has been supporting their public relations work through donations for over 10 years.
Asia
In Asia, we are particularly committed to supporting ethnic minorities in Vietnam and assisting in improving working conditions in tanneries and shoe factories in India.
In Vietnam, ethnic minorities are heavily affected by the loss of their livelihoods due to large infrastructure projects. That’s why, together with our local partner organization, we want to ensure that official land-use-certificates are issued so that the affected minorities have the right to access the land essential for their survival and continue their traditional life in harmony with nature. This involves surveying forest areas and deciding which community can use which portion. Here, donations directly support the issuance of certificates and the establishment and training of cooperatives that sell harvests and other products, which ultimately combats poverty.
We also encourage minorities to decide for themselves how their government can best support them effectively. Our partner organization DWC assists the residents of various villages to develop and implement their own proposed solutions for pressing development challenges, with DWC advising the residents at every step. In addition, we also help minorities in readjusting to new living conditions caused by the necessary resettlement due to the construction of a hydroelectric power plant. This is achieved by our partner organization CHIASE, which supports the resettled communities adapt by using their traditional knowledge to cultivate local seeds and livestock breeding methods.
Our latest project focuses on women from ethnic minorities. As they are particularly disadvantaged, we support them with capacity-building to empower them in decision-making processes within their family and social environment. Consultations on land rights and improved knowledge on sustainable land use also support women in liberating themselves. This is an important contribution to long-term poverty reduction, as better income opportunities arise.
In Asia, we are particularly committed to supporting ethnic minorities in Vietnam and assisting in improving working conditions in tanneries and shoe factories in India.
In Vietnam, ethnic minorities are heavily affected by the loss of their livelihoods due to large infrastructure projects. That’s why, together with our local partner organization, we want to ensure that official land-use-certificates are issued so that the affected minorities have the right to access the land essential for their survival and continue their traditional life in harmony with nature. This involves surveying forest areas and deciding which community can use which portion. Here, donations directly support the issuance of certificates and the establishment and training of cooperatives that sell harvests and other products, which ultimately combats poverty.
We also encourage minorities to decide for themselves how their government can best support them effectively. Our partner organization DWC assists the residents of various villages to develop and implement their own proposed solutions for pressing development challenges, with DWC advising the residents at every step. In addition, we also help minorities in readjusting to new living conditions caused by the necessary resettlement due to the construction of a hydroelectric power plant. This is achieved by our partner organization CHIASE, which supports the resettled communities adapt by using their traditional knowledge to cultivate local seeds and livestock breeding methods.
Our latest project focuses on women from ethnic minorities. As they are particularly disadvantaged, we support them with capacity-building to empower them in decision-making processes within their family and social environment. Consultations on land rights and improved knowledge on sustainable land use also support women in liberating themselves. This is an important contribution to long-term poverty reduction, as better income opportunities arise.
Our focus in India is to improve working conditions in tanneries and shoe factories. Indian workers in the leather and shoe industry rarely have employment contracts, receive extremely low wages, and handle highly dangerous chemicals. That is why we and our partner organizations CIVIDEP and SLD absolutely want to improve working conditions. This is made possible through so-called Workers Resource Centers. Workers can attend information events and be informed about their rights. With this training, they can defend themselves against unfair and health-endangering working conditions. Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that German shoe companies fulfill their duty of care and ensure compliance with human rights locally. It is crucial that they provide effective access to grievance and remedies for the workers in their shoe and leather garment supply chains. With your donations, we can put enough pressure on German shoe companies through targeted studies that uncover and publish problems and build up Workers Resource Centers in different leather clusters.
Our focus in India is to improve working conditions in tanneries and shoe factories. Indian workers in the leather and shoe industry rarely have employment contracts, receive extremely low wages, and handle highly dangerous chemicals. That is why we and our partner organizations CIVIDEP and SLD absolutely want to improve working conditions. This is made possible through so-called Workers Resource Centers. Workers can attend information events and be informed about their rights. With this training, they can defend themselves against unfair and health-endangering working conditions. Additionally, we are committed to ensuring that German shoe companies fulfill their duty of care and ensure compliance with human rights locally. It is crucial that they provide effective access to grievance and remedies for the workers in their shoe and leather garment supply chains. With your donations, we can put enough pressure on German shoe companies through targeted studies that uncover and publish problems and build up Workers Resource Centers in different leather clusters.