Torokugu Discusses the Impact Baraka has Made for her and her Family

Torokugu is a shea nut picker and shea butter producer who has been working with Baraka for five years. She is part of the network of women connected through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Her work collecting shea nuts and producing shea butter is central to her family's livelihood and to her role within the cooperative.

In this video, Torokugu speaks about what the Baraka relationship has meant for her day-to-day life. Before Baraka, the burden of carrying her shea butter to sell it weighed heavily on her work. Baraka changed that by coming directly to her community to purchase — removing the transport and selling burden entirely, and freeing her to focus on production and on providing for her family with the income she earns.

Torokugu 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. It is commonly used for dry skin and helps maintain moisture. Torokugu's five years with Baraka represent a sustained partnership — not a one-off transaction — and that continuity is part of what makes the cooperative model work. You can read more about the experiences of other Baraka customers and producers in Baraka's customer and community stories.

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 how handmade shea butter is made.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Torokugu and what does she do?

Torokugu is a shea nut picker and shea butter producer who has been working with Baraka for five years. She is part of the network of women connected through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. Her work spans both the collection of wild shea nuts and their hand-processing into shea butter using traditional methods passed down through generations.

What does Torokugu say about working with Baraka?

Torokugu speaks about the stress that was lifted when Baraka began coming directly to her community to purchase her shea butter. Before, she had to carry and sell it herself — a burden on top of the production work. With Baraka handling the purchasing at community level, she can focus on production and on providing for her family with the income she earns.

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. Women like Torokugu hand-process shea nuts using traditional water-based methods passed down through generations — cracking, grinding, boiling, and skimming by hand, with zero chemical extraction. Baraka has maintained this direct cooperative relationship for over 15 years. More than 90% of the people working with Baraka in Ghana are women.

What is the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre?

The Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre is a women's cooperative in Ghana's Upper West Region through which Baraka sources its shea butter and other ingredients. It operates as a direct, fair-trade cooperative — producers receive a fair-trade premium without intermediaries. Baraka has worked directly with the centre for over 15 years. The cooperative connects producer groups across the region, and Torokugu has been part of this network for five years.

How does Baraka support shea butter producers directly?

Baraka pays a fair-trade premium price for shea butter and purchases directly from producers in their communities — no middlemen. Baraka also works closely with the women to identify and support additional priorities beyond purchasing. This combination of fair pricing, direct purchasing, and ongoing community engagement is what distinguishes the Baraka cooperative model from standard commodity sourcing. Chain-of-custody documentation is available for any order.

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.