Celebrating Mothers: Abudi Asana

Abudi Asana is a mother of five and a shea butter producer working closely with other women in the Kperisi community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She is part of the network of women connected to Baraka through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre. Her work — harvesting, processing, and producing shea butter using age-old traditions — is central to her family's livelihood and to her community's economic well-being.

In this video, Abudi shares what the Baraka cooperative relationship has meant for her and her family. As a mother of five, her ability to earn a reliable income directly affects how well she can provide for her children — nutritious food, health care, and most importantly, keeping her children in school so they can receive a proper education. Her story is one of many from the women whose daily work makes Baraka possible.

Abudi Asana is one of the women whose work makes Baraka shea butter possible. Baraka sources shea butter directly through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region — a cooperative relationship maintained for over 15 years. Every batch is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods with zero chemical extraction, and complete chain-of-custody documentation is available for any order. The women who produce this ingredient receive a fair-trade premium directly, without intermediaries.

Shea butter has been central to traditional life in northern Ghana for generations. Women like Abudi have learned these techniques from their mothers and grandmothers — collecting the shea nuts, cracking and grinding them by hand, boiling and skimming the fat to produce pure, unrefined butter. It is commonly used for dry skin, helps maintain moisture, and has long been traditionally used for baby skin and during pregnancy. You can read more about shea butter for babies, including how traditionally made, unrefined shea butter is commonly used on infant skin.

Over 90% of the people working with Baraka in Ghana are women. Every purchase supports their ability to work with dignity, earn a fair income, and build futures for their families. To understand the full scope of this work, you can read Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report, which details the cooperative's progress and the lives behind every batch.

You can also learn more through these related resources: how handmade shea butter is made, the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, and shea butter during pregnancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Abudi Asana and what does she do?

Abudi Asana is a shea butter producer and a mother of five from the Kperisi community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She works closely with other women in her community to produce shea butter using traditional hand-processing methods. Her work is part of Baraka's direct cooperative relationship with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, and the income she earns supports her family's food, health care, and her children's schooling.

What does Abudi say about working with Baraka?

Abudi's story, shared in this video, centres on what it means to be a mother who can rely on her work. The income she earns through the cooperative allows her to provide for her family's basic needs and to keep her children in school. For Abudi, the ability to earn a reliable income through shea butter production is directly tied to her children's futures and her community's well-being.

Is shea butter safe for babies and during pregnancy?

Yes, shea butter is commonly used on baby skin and during pregnancy. Baraka shea butter is pure and unrefined, with no synthetic additives or fragrances, and is hand-processed without chemicals or solvents at any stage. It is traditionally used to help maintain moisture on sensitive and delicate skin. As with any new product, a patch test is recommended, and those with high-risk pregnancies should consult a healthcare provider before use.

Who makes Baraka shea butter?

Baraka shea butter is made by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Women like Abudi Asana hand-process shea nuts using traditional water-based methods passed down through generations — cracking, grinding, boiling, and skimming by hand, with zero chemical extraction. Baraka has maintained this direct cooperative relationship for over 15 years. More than 90% of the people working with Baraka in Ghana are women.

What is the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre?

The Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre is a women's cooperative in Ghana's Upper West Region through which Baraka sources its shea butter and other ingredients. It operates as a direct, fair-trade cooperative — producers receive a fair-trade premium without intermediaries. Baraka has worked directly with the centre for over 15 years. The cooperative structure means women like Abudi are not employees of a factory but producers with a direct stake in the relationship. You can learn more at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre page.

About the Author

Wayne Dunn is the founder of Baraka Impact and a former Professor of Practice in Sustainability at McGill University. He holds an M.Sc. in Management from Stanford and has spent over 15 years working directly with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region to source traditionally made shea butter and natural oils. He shares DIY skincare recipes and ingredient guides designed to be made at home with real ingredients — and sourced with full transparency about where they come from.