Abinci Commodities Ghana, a subsidiary of Abinchi International, a global non-profit organization, has empowered women in shea business development.

The organization, with consultancy service from Ideapath Consult, Ghana, has provided shea butter processing training to the Sungweeh Women Association in the Loho community in the Nadowli/ Kaleo District of the Upper West Region, Ghana.

The Shea Business Development Project (SBDP) was designed to empower women groups in quality practices and processing of organic shea butter for local and international markets. The project conducted a screening assessment of beneficiaries in the community and 20 women who have prospects of participating in the project beyond the training were selected.

The objective of the project is to first empower women to enhance quality shea butter production practices and processing. The project also seeks to enhance women’s knowledge and skills in business development, market linkage, packaging, digitalization and branding.
The first day of the training saw beneficiaries taken through shea business, cooperative governance, and financial management. The second day of training also saw women’s skills developed in digitalization, shea quality practices, marketing and health & safety. The third day also says beneficiaries are taken through, product branding and marking and workshop evaluation.
The training modules were designed to create room for practical sessions with processing and practical sessions whin run through the three-day intensive training. The beneficiary was taken through shea nuts grinding and roasting in the day, while 2nd grinding, whipping and boiling took part on day two with shea butter steering and packaging on day three.
The program had the Assembly Man for the Loho Electoral Area Hon. Issifu Kassim and Mr. Samsideen a unit committee member in attendance. The coordinator for the project Esther Suglo (Ms) who is passionate about community development urged the women to take advantage of business development and training to enhance their financial security and inclusion.
The beneficiaries were excited about the project initiative and particularly lauded ABINCHI INTERNATIONAL for investing in their business development initiative. Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the group leader Madam Agnes Bamong emphasized the benefits such training and projects could have in their livelihood outcomes. She noted that shea butter production will now provide them with sustainable income and enhance the living standard of their household and families.
The Lead Trainer and CEO of Ideapath Consult Tahiru Lukman indicated that shea butter production is an alternative livelihood outcome and investing in such business development will present a lot of benefits. He particularly mentioned the threat facing the shea tree life as charcoal production continues to boom in Northern Ghana and for that matter women and communities must maximize the benefit of shea and this will go a long way to safeguard the shea tree.
The project will build an environmentally friendly shea butter production shed and women will actively engage in shea butter production for local and international markets.
Filed By
Tahiru Lukman
Author
Email: lukmatahiru@rocketmail.com
Tel: +233 (0) 209154057