Shea Butter Producer: Zenabo Imoro

Zenabo Imoro is one of the leaders of the Kperisi Shea Butter group in Ghana's Upper West Region. She learned to make shea butter from her mother and grandmother and has been a producer for many years. Her knowledge of the process — from collecting the shea nuts through to the finished butter — is rooted in generations of traditional practice and in the sustained work of the Kperisi group.

In this video, Zenabo discusses several things: the care that goes into making Baraka shea butter, the long-standing relationship between the women of northern Ghana and Baraka, how the shea butter economy works from the producer's perspective, and how Baraka's approach has supported her, her family, and the women she works with. It is one of the most comprehensive producer accounts in Baraka's video archive — covering both the craft and the economics of the cooperative relationship.

Zenabo Imoro 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. The knowledge Zenabo carries — learned from her mother and grandmother — is the same knowledge that makes Baraka shea butter what it is. You can read more about how handmade shea butter is made, including what distinguishes it from industrially processed alternatives and why the hand method is inseparable from both quality and community impact. You can also read the guide to the truth about shea butter — what every consumer should know, which covers how to evaluate sourcing claims and what to look for in a supplier.

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: the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, the fair trade story behind Baraka's ingredients, and shea butter as a DIY ingredient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Zenabo Imoro and what does she do?

Zenabo Imoro is one of the leaders of the Kperisi Shea Butter group in Ghana's Upper West Region. She learned to make shea butter from her mother and grandmother and has been producing it for many years. Her role as a group leader means she is both a practitioner and a representative of the women's collective — someone whose understanding of the process, the economics, and the cooperative relationship runs deep.

What does Zenabo discuss in this video?

Zenabo discusses four things in this video. First, the care that goes into making Baraka shea butter — a craft perspective from someone who learned it generationally. Second, the long-standing relationship between the women of northern Ghana and Baraka. Third, how the shea butter economy works from the producer's side. Fourth, how Baraka's approach has supported her, her family, and the women she works with. It is one of the most comprehensive producer accounts in Baraka's video archive.

How is Baraka shea butter made?

Baraka shea butter is hand-processed by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre using traditional water-based methods passed down through generations — cracking, grinding, boiling, and skimming by hand, with zero chemical extraction. The knowledge behind these methods is exactly what Zenabo learned from her mother and grandmother. Baraka has maintained this direct cooperative relationship for over 15 years, and more than 90% of the people involved in production in Ghana are women.

What is the Kperisi Shea Butter group?

The Kperisi Shea Butter group is one of the producer groups connected to Baraka through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Zenabo Imoro is one of its leaders. The group produces shea butter using traditional hand methods and sells it through the cooperative's direct fair-trade relationship with Baraka — a relationship in which producers receive a fair-trade premium without intermediaries.

What does Zenabo say about how Baraka's approach differs from others?

Zenabo speaks about Baraka's approach from a producer's perspective — covering both the care Baraka takes in working with the women and the way the shea butter economy functions under the cooperative model. She describes the long-standing relationship with Baraka as something that has genuinely supported her family and the wider group. Her account, rooted in years of direct experience, is one of the clearest illustrations in Baraka's archive of what a long-term fair-trade partnership looks like from the inside.

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.