Who we are
A collaborative approach
ARISE is a collaborative and compelling approach to ending child labor.
‘Our flagship program ARISE – Achieving Reduction of Child Labor in Support of Education – has been committed to tackling child labor in our tobacco growing communities since 2011. Initially developed by JTI, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and non-profit organization Winrock International, ARISE aims to end child labor in communities where JTI sources tobacco leaf. Today it continues to drive positive change by implementing robust solutions to prevent child labor.
We believe that the only way to achieve a long-lasting solution to the problem of child labor is through the integrated efforts and cooperation of multiple stakeholders. We know that our success depends on understanding child labor in the context of wider economic, social and cultural factors, and that success can only be achieved with the socio-economic transformation of smallholder farmers in rural agricultural communities. Experience has taught us that the long-term solution to child labor is not simply to remove children from work, but to address the causes that allow child labor to exist, and to ensure that children and their families have viable alternatives.
Through ARISE, we educate children, families, farmers and communities about the need to end child labor. We listen to their concerns and help them understand the long-term benefits of educating children. We provide families with the chance to develop skills and find new ways to earn an income. We train farmers and communities so they can find new ways of working and change cultural beliefs that put children at risk. We provide schools with resources, teachers with training, and governments with information so they can create relevant laws and enforce them. Our activities align with national, regional and local government policies to improve regulatory frameworks in support of improving labor practices, specifically reducing and eliminating child labor.
Shared responsibility with local partners
Our partnership is a powerful proposition that brings together our different yet complementary expertise, wide-ranging experience, resources and skills. The partnership is a dynamic relationship, one that shares ownership of the program and responsibility for strategy, implementation and decision making. All of the partners work together in the field and at management level, each one focusing their efforts on their core strengths and expertise.
