What is the mango pit initiative that Fuseina Mohammed is part of?

The mango pit initiative is a pilot program in Ghana that teaches women how to collect and process mango kernels — the seeds inside mango pits — that were previously discarded. The kernels contain natural fats with value in ethical skincare formulations. By learning to process these materials, women earn an additional source of income from resources already present in their communities.

How does mango kernel sourcing support ethical supply chains?

Mango kernel sourcing supports ethical supply chains by creating value from materials already present in farming communities, ensuring women are paid for their labor, and keeping production local. Rather than importing an ingredient, it taps into something that would otherwise go to waste — and ensures the economic benefit stays with the women who do the work.

What does Baraka mean by 'women-led production'?

Women-led production at Baraka means that women are not only the labor behind ingredient collection and processing — they are the knowledge holders, the decision-makers at the community level, and the primary earners from the value created. Baraka's sourcing model is designed to ensure women are paid directly and equitably for their work.

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Fuseina Mohammed on Earning Income Through Mango Butter Innovation in Ghana

Q: Is this video part of Baraka's ESG Impact Report?

Yes. Fuseina Mohammed's video is part of Baraka's ESG Impact Report, a series documenting real experiences from women involved in transparent, responsible supply chains in Ghana. The report covers sourcing practices, women's economic participation, and Baraka's chain of custody standards.

March 26, 2026

Wayne Dunn

Fuseina Mohammed is part of a mango pilot initiative in Ghana, where women are learning how to collect and use mango pits that were previously discarded. In her own words, she explains how this new process has opened up an additional source of earned income.

Her story reflects a practical shift toward women-led production, where traditional knowledge and new techniques come together to create safer, locally rooted work. This kind of innovation supports ethical sourcing by valuing materials already present in the community and ensuring women are paid for their labor.

From Discarded Pits to Earned Income

In northern Ghana, mango season has long meant abundance — and waste. The pits at the center of every fruit were routinely discarded, their value unrecognized. Fuseina and the women in this pilot initiative are changing that. By learning to collect, process, and extract the natural fats locked inside mango kernels, they are turning a byproduct into a livelihood.

For Fuseina, this isn't a replacement for her existing work — it's an addition to it. The mango kernel process has created a new stream of earned income built entirely from materials already present in her community, processed with skills she and her peers are developing together.

What Women-Led Innovation Looks Like

The mango pilot doesn't ask women to abandon what they already know. It builds on it. Working with seeds, understanding how plant-based fats behave across seasons, processing natural materials by hand — this knowledge has always lived in these communities. The program creates a new context for applying it.

That combination of inherited knowledge and new technique is exactly the kind of innovation that responsible sourcing should support. It doesn't require women to become something different. It asks the supply chain to recognize the value of what they already are.

Why This Matters for Ethical Sourcing

Ethical sourcing conversations often happen far from the people at the center of them. Fuseina's story is a reminder that the most important measure isn't certification — it's whether the women doing the work are genuinely better off for being part of it.

For Fuseina, the answer is yes: she is paid for her labor, she is gaining a transferable skill, and she is working within her own community. That is what community-rooted supply chains look like in practice — not charity, but craft. Not extraction, but exchange.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mango pit initiative in Ghana?

It is a pilot program training women in Ghana to collect and process mango pits — previously discarded as waste — to extract the natural fats found inside the kernel. These fats have applications in cosmetics and skincare formulations. The program creates an additional earned income stream for participating women.

Who is Fuseina Mohammed?

Fuseina Mohammed is a woman in Ghana participating in Baraka's mango kernel pilot initiative. In the video above, she describes in her own words how the program has created a new source of income and what the process means for her and her community.

How does mango kernel processing relate to ethical sourcing?

Mango kernel processing is an example of ethical sourcing because it uses materials already present in the community, ensures women are paid for their labor, and builds on existing local knowledge rather than replacing it. It reduces waste while expanding economic opportunity for women.

Is this part of Baraka's ESG reporting?

Yes. This video is part of Baraka's ESG Impact Report, which documents real experiences from women involved in transparent, responsible supply chains across Ghana. You can read the full report at barakasheabutter.com/pages/impactreport.

What does Baraka do to ensure women are paid fairly?

Baraka works directly with women's cooperatives and pilot initiatives in West Africa, building supply chains where women are compensated for their labor at every stage. The chain of custody process ensures traceability from source to finished product. Learn more in Baraka's chain of custody overview.

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 with women-led cooperatives in West Africa to build transparent, ethical supply chains for natural ingredients including shea butter and mango kernel. He shares impact stories and ingredient guides designed to connect buyers with the real people and communities behind what they source.

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