Rainforest Alliance

While auditing a cooperative in Côte d'Ivoire, Rainforest Alliance trainer and auditor Noah Jackson was made king of a small village for the day. It’s a traditional honor that is often bestowed on visitors from outside the region and -- much like auditing -- provides a window into the daily life of community members. Here, Noah shares some behind-the-scenes images from small farms that belong to the cocoa cooperative.

A large walnut tree provides shade and a community gathering area. Throughout Africa, trees often mark traditional meeting spaces.

A mother and son accompany Noah on a walk through one of their small parcels of cocoa growing land.

Late one evening, an impromptu village parade marks the beginning of a school holiday.

A group of young boys stroll through their village.

A Muslim prayer rug hangs outside an earthen home. During prayer hours, members of this small farm gather to worship together.

After a long day of visiting farms, a cooperative team member shows off the day’s results.

In a warehouse that doubles as a gathering place, multiple generations of farmers wait for a meeting to begin.

Children observe a community meeting and learn from the proceedings.

Like any village organization, cooperatives help to build and strengthen community relationships -- both personal and financial. Here, the Rainforest Alliance audit team reviews commitments and loans made by the cooperative to community members.