Change agents at the heart of child labour prevention in Côte d’Ivoire

MBATTO (ILO News) – In rural communities, a change agent is a locally rooted human resource, recognised for their credibility, community engagement, and ability to sustainably support households in adopting better financial management and livelihood practices. Appointed by a partner cooperative, they work closely with families, act as relays and mentors for members of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), and report to the National Agency for Rural Development Support (ANADER), which is responsible for technical supervision.

It was within this framework that, on 5 December 2025, a strategic workshop under the ILO’s project ACCEL Africa Phase 2, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, was held in M’Batto, aimed at strengthening the capacities of nine change agents.

Improving rural livelihoods and promoting financial inclusion are indeed identified as essential levers for preventing and eliminating child labour in agricultural value chains. To this end, financial education interventions have been implemented across the project’s areas of intervention, reaching nearly 600 beneficiaries to date, including 137 in M’Batto. Most of these beneficiaries are members of VSLAs. To enhance the impact of these trainings and support lasting behaviour change, a network of community change agents has been established, including in M’Batto.

The workshop highlighted the central role of change agents as key actors in community-level support. The sessions enabled participants to master practical tools for beneficiary follow-up while jointly developing a monitoring plan. This follow-up mechanism will allow them to identify successes, analyse challenges encountered, and engage in exchanges with the various stakeholders involved. These efforts are part of a systemic approach aimed at addressing the root causes of child labour, particularly poverty.

At the end of the workshop, three tools were proposed and validated to strengthen field-level monitoring:

• A monitoring notebook for change agents;
• A change journal for beneficiaries;
• A supervision logbook for ANADER agents.

These tools are intended to structure accompaniment, facilitate supervision, and strengthen communities’ ownership of good financial practices.

This workshop thus marks a key step towards a future free of child labour, while contributing to the promotion of financial inclusion and the strengthening of rural household resilience.