By Rafiq Nungor ADAM
The Ghana Chamber of Shea is piloting an innovative project in the Kulkpong community of the Wa East District in the Upper West Region.
The project aims to train women in improved shea butter processing and connect them with market opportunities, offering an alternative source of livelihood and income.
According to Sumaila Chakura, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Shea, the project’s primary objective is to empower rural women to utilise shea as a tool to enhance their economic status.
“The other component we are concerned about is enabling the women to see shea processing as a business because mostly see it as an activity they have to carry out to survive, but they don’t treat it as a business. Shea has the potential to lift women out of poverty and improve their livelihoods,” he said.
Awsatu Musah, one of the participants, shared that she used to sell charcoal to earn a living because she had no other alternative livelihood, especially during the dry off-season. She expressed hope that by producing quality shea butter, she would generate income to support her children. “I have noticed that what they taught us today is different from how I used to do it, and I hope that at the end of the training, I will be able to produce good shea butter and find a good market,” she said.
Another participant, Mufida Marzoni, added: “If we form a cooperative and receive training and support from the project, we can process the shea nuts in large quantities and sell them. With that, we can earn a decent livelihood. The training will help us a lot”.
The Ghana Chamber of Shea is dedicated to supporting women in the shea value chain and promoting sustainable livelihoods. “We believe that empowering women is key to transforming lives and communities,” said Chakura.
Abdul Hamid Adams, the CEO of Tondar Ventures – a shea butter processing company in the region, provided the women with training on safety measures and best practices for shea kernel picking and processing.
Additionally, Portia Dumba, the founder of Pordu Care Enterprise – a producer of shea butter cream, instructed the participants on forming and managing cooperatives.
The project is being implemented by the Ghana Chamber of Shea in partnership with NoniHub, Tondar Ventures, Inspired Legacy, Pordu Care, and Nelias Foods.
