Celebrating Mothers: Yelkare Pogsaa

Yelkare Pogsaa is a mother of four who works closely with other women in the Murazu community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She is a shea butter producer and part of a local women's group connected to the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre cooperative.

In this video, Yelkare speaks about her life as a mother and how her work contributes to supporting her family. She highlights how the income from shea butter production helps provide food, healthcare, and education for her children. Her story reflects the importance of community-based work in sustaining families in her community. To understand the ingredient at the centre of this story, read Shea Butter – The Ultimate DIY Ingredient and How Handmade Shea Butter is Made. For parents and those expecting, see Shea Butter for Babies and Shea Butter During Pregnancy.

Yelkare Pogsaa 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.

Learn more about how these ingredients are made and the cooperative behind them by reading Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

Who is Yelkare Pogsaa and what does she do?

Yelkare Pogsaa is a mother of four from the Murazu community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She works as a shea butter producer and is part of a local women's group connected to the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre cooperative. Her work contributes to her family's income and to the wider cooperative network. In the video, she shares how traditional shea butter production has supported her family's daily needs including food, healthcare, and her children's education.

Where does Yelkare Pogsaa work and what cooperative is she part of?

Yelkare works in the Murazu community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She is part of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre cooperative, where women come together to process shea butter using traditional, hand-based methods. This cooperative structure helps support local livelihoods and income generation. The model ensures that producers receive fair payment directly, without intermediaries, and that traditional methods are maintained across generations.

What does Yelkare Pogsaa say about working with Baraka?

Yelkare speaks about how her work helps support her children and family. She explains that the income she earns from shea butter production allows her to provide food, access healthcare, and support her children's education. Her story reflects the importance of the cooperative relationship with Baraka and the real-life difference it makes for women and families in the Murazu community.

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. These women are part of a long-standing cooperative that has been working with Baraka for over 15 years. They process shea nuts using traditional water-based methods with zero chemical extraction. Their work supports both their families and their local communities, and they receive a fair-trade premium directly with no intermediaries involved.

Is shea butter safe for babies and during pregnancy?

Yes, shea butter is commonly used on baby skin and during pregnancy. Baraka shea butter is pure and unrefined, produced without synthetic additives, fragrances, or chemical solvents at any stage of processing. It is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods, which means nothing is added and nothing artificial remains in the finished ingredient. As with any new skincare product, a patch test is recommended before first use. Those with high-risk pregnancies should consult a healthcare provider before introducing new topical ingredients.

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.