Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre

This video is a live walkthrough of the Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre, hosted by Alfred Akolgo — Baraka's Country Manager in Ghana. The centre is a dedicated facility for the preparation of shea nuts, built to support the women in the Tabiasu community who work within Baraka's cooperative network. In the video, Alfred walks through the facility while women are actively using it, discussing why it was built, how it functions, and the impact it is already having on the women who work there.

The Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre represents one of the ways Baraka's relationship with its producer communities extends beyond purchasing. Building and maintaining a dedicated shea nut preparation facility means the women have access to a proper working environment — one that supports their productivity and reduces the physical burden of processing. This is part of Baraka's broader commitment to working closely with producer communities to identify and support priorities beyond the immediate transaction.

The women working at the Tabiasu centre are part of the supply chain that makes Baraka shea butter possible. Baraka sources shea butter directly through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre network 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.

The Tabiasu centre is one part of a wider cooperative infrastructure. You can read more about the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre, including how the cooperative structure connects producer communities across Ghana's Upper West Region to Baraka's supply chain. For buyers and formulators evaluating sourcing partners, facility investment like the Tabiasu centre is a verifiable signal of long-term commitment.

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 investments behind every batch.

You can also learn more through these related resources: the fair trade story behind Baraka's ingredients, what chain-of-custody means for natural ingredients, and how handmade shea butter is made.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre?

The Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre is a dedicated facility for the preparation of shea nuts, built by Baraka to support the women in the Tabiasu community who work within the Konjeihi cooperative network. The centre gives women a proper working environment for shea nut processing — reducing physical burden and supporting their productivity. Alfred Akolgo, Baraka's Country Manager, walks through the facility in this video while women are actively using it.

Who is Alfred Akolgo?

Alfred Akolgo is Baraka's Country Manager in Ghana. In this video he hosts a live walkthrough of the Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre, explaining why the facility was built, how it is used, and what impact it is already having on the women working there. As Country Manager, Alfred oversees Baraka's relationships with producer communities across Ghana's Upper West Region.

What is the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre?

The Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre is the cooperative network through which Baraka sources its shea butter and other ingredients from Ghana's Upper West Region. It operates as a direct, fair-trade cooperative — producers receive a fair-trade premium without intermediaries. Baraka has worked directly with this network for over 15 years. The Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre is one of the community facilities within this broader cooperative structure.

How does Baraka invest in the communities where it sources?

Baraka's relationship with its producer communities goes beyond purchasing. Building the Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre is one example — a dedicated shea nut preparation facility that improves working conditions and productivity for the women who use it. Baraka also works closely with communities to identify and support other priorities. Chain-of-custody documentation is available for any order, and the Social and Environmental Impact Report details the full scope of these investments.

How can buyers verify Baraka's supply chain claims?

Baraka provides complete chain-of-custody documentation for any order — every step from shea nut harvest through processing, packing, and shipping is documented and traceable. Facility investments like the Tabiasu Women's Enterprise Centre are verifiable on the ground. Baraka has maintained a single, direct cooperative relationship in Ghana's Upper West Region for over 15 years. Contact Baraka directly for supply chain documentation or to arrange a supply chain review.

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.