Seidu Jahanata on How a Shaded Work Area Improved Daily Work

Seidu Jahanata is a shea butter producer working in Ghana's Upper West Region as part of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre cooperative. She is one of the women whose daily working conditions have been directly changed by the shaded work area built with Baraka's support.

In this video, Jahanata speaks about what the shaded area has meant for day-to-day work. Before it was in place, rain would stop work entirely and strong sun made conditions difficult for everyone. Now, work continues regardless of weather. In her own words, the environment is simply much better — a straightforward account of how a practical infrastructure change has made a real difference to the people doing the work.

Jahanata 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 processing is physical, skilled work done outdoors and in open spaces — conditions matter directly to the quality and consistency of what is produced. You can read more about the hand-processing steps in How Handmade Shea Butter is Made. Jahanata's story is also part of a wider account of the cooperative — read more at The Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre and Fair Trade Shea Butter: The Konjeihi Story.

The shaded work area and other working condition improvements at the cooperative are documented in Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Seidu Jahanata and what does she do?

Seidu Jahanata is a shea butter producer and member of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. She processes shea butter using traditional hand methods as part of Baraka's direct supply chain. In this video, she speaks about how the shaded work area built with Baraka's support has changed daily working conditions — allowing work to continue through rain and reducing the strain of working under strong sun.

How has the shaded work area changed daily work for Jahanata and her community?

The shaded area has made it possible to work through rain and strong sun without stopping or suffering difficult conditions. Jahanata describes the change simply: the environment is much better for everyone. Work that previously depended on weather can now continue consistently, improving both productivity and the day-to-day experience of the women doing the work. The improvement reflects worker-informed design — built in response to the real conditions producers face.

What does Jahanata say about working with Baraka?

Jahanata speaks directly about the practical difference the shaded work area has made. Her account is straightforward — rain no longer stops work, sun no longer makes conditions difficult, and the environment is better for everyone. She frames this not as an abstract benefit but as a concrete change to her daily working life, one that reflects what happens when producer well-being is built into how sourcing operates.

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, where Baraka has maintained a direct cooperative relationship for over 15 years. The shea butter is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods with no chemical extraction at any stage. Producers like Seidu Jahanata are not contracted labourers or paid spokespeople — they are the women whose ongoing work makes each batch possible. Their names and stories are shared as part of Baraka's transparency commitment.

How does buying from Baraka support women like Jahanata?

Every purchase of Baraka shea butter contributes to the fair-trade premium paid directly to the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, without intermediaries. That premium supports the cooperative's ongoing work and the working condition improvements — including infrastructure like the shaded area — that make a direct difference to the women who produce Baraka's ingredients. The cooperative structure is designed so that the connection between a purchase and a producer remains direct and traceable.

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.