“Imagine working hard for two weeks to earn only K60! That was the struggle,” James said.
The couple have 500 cocoa trees in Teop, Tinputz District, in Bougainville’s north. In the past, James looked after the cocoa farm, while Emelia spent her time tending to the garden and fishing.
Despite their efforts, they struggled to save money or plan for the future.
But things started to change in 2017 when Emelia went with a friend to a CARE International training under the Bougainville Cocoa Families Support Project (BECOMES).