Baraka Bolga Baskets in the community

Baraka Bolga Baskets are hand-woven by women's groups in Ghana's Upper East Region. In this video, Alfred Akolgo — Baraka's Country Manager — meets with a group of these women to discuss their work, life in their communities, and what the income from weaving for Baraka means for their families. The conversation covers basket making as a craft, the fair-trade relationship with Baraka, and what that relationship has changed for the women involved.

The women describe the fair-trade price Baraka pays for the baskets as a meaningful change from how basket weaving has typically been compensated. The income they earn goes directly towards their children's education and healthcare costs — two of the most consistently cited priorities across Baraka's producer communities. Alfred's visit to the community is part of how Baraka maintains a direct, on-the-ground relationship with the women who make its products.

Baraka's relationship with Ghana extends beyond shea butter and other skincare ingredients. The Bolga Basket programme connects Baraka to a different community in a different region — Ghana's Upper East — through the same principles: fair-trade pricing, direct purchasing, no intermediaries, and an honest account of where the products come from and what the income does for the people who make them. Every purchase of Baraka products supports women in Ghana through this model.

You can read more about the experiences of Baraka's wider community of customers and producers in Baraka's customer and community stories. For buyers and formulators evaluating the full scope of Baraka's sourcing approach, you can also read the fair trade story behind Baraka's ingredients and what chain-of-custody means for natural ingredients.

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 product.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are Baraka Bolga Baskets?

Baraka Bolga Baskets are hand-woven baskets made by women's groups in Ghana's Upper East Region. They are produced by hand using traditional weaving techniques and sold through Baraka at a fair-trade price. The basket programme is part of Baraka's broader commitment to creating dignified income for women in Ghanaian communities — the same principle that guides its shea butter and other ingredient sourcing relationships.

Who are the women who make the Bolga Baskets?

The Baraka Bolga Baskets are made by women's groups in Ghana's Upper East Region — a different community from Baraka's shea butter producers in the Upper West Region. In this video, Alfred Akolgo, Baraka's Country Manager, meets with a group of these women to discuss their work and what the Baraka relationship has meant for them. The income they earn goes towards their children's education and healthcare costs.

What does Alfred Akolgo cover in this video?

Alfred Akolgo, Baraka's Country Manager, visits the basket-weaving community to discuss basket making, life in the community, and the impact of the Baraka income on the women's families. The women describe Baraka's fair-trade pricing as a welcome change from normal practices in the basket trade — a direct account of what fair pricing means in a community that has experienced both.

How does Baraka's fair-trade approach differ from normal practices in the basket trade?

The women in this video describe Baraka's approach as a welcome change from normal practices. In the conventional basket trade, women receive prices that do not reflect the value of their work — intermediaries capture much of the margin. Baraka purchases directly from the women at a fair-trade price, with no intermediaries taking a cut. The result is that more of the value from each basket stays with the woman who made it.

How can buyers learn more about Baraka's wider community impact?

Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report covers the full scope of its community investments across Ghana — shea butter producers, basket weavers, and the infrastructure and partnerships that support them. The Baraka customer and community stories page provides additional accounts from across the cooperative network. Contact Baraka directly for supply chain documentation or to learn more about any specific product's sourcing.

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.