YOUR IMPACT: Iddrisu Memuna

Iddrisu Memuna is a shea nut collector and shea butter producer from the Konjahie community in Ghana's Upper West Region. A mother of four, she works closely with other women in the Konjahie certified organic group — one of the producer groups connected to Baraka through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre. Her work collecting and processing shea nuts is central to her family's livelihood and to her role within the cooperative.

In this video, Iddrisu speaks about something that distinguishes Baraka from other buyers: Baraka will purchase whatever quantity a woman is able to produce. Whether the harvest is large or small, Baraka offers the opportunity to sell at a good price — and pays a fair-trade premium on top of that. For women in the cooperative whose output can vary season to season, this consistency and reliability matters as much as the price itself.

Iddrisu Memuna 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. It is also traditionally used as a base in natural skincare routines for a wide range of skin concerns — you can read more about shea butter for keratosis pilaris, including how traditionally made, unrefined shea butter is commonly used for this purpose. The Konjahie group works within a certified organic system, meaning no pesticides, herbicides, or chemicals are used at any stage of harvest or processing.

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 Iddrisu Memuna and what does she do?

Iddrisu Memuna is a shea nut collector and shea butter producer from the Konjahie community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She is a mother of four and works closely with other women in the Konjahie certified organic group, connected to Baraka through the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre. Her work spans both the collection of wild shea nuts and their hand-processing into shea butter using traditional methods.

What does Iddrisu say about working with Baraka?

Iddrisu speaks about something specific and important: Baraka purchases whatever quantity a woman is able to produce — no minimum required. Whether the harvest is large or small, Baraka buys at a good price and also pays a fair-trade premium on top. For producers whose output varies by season, this reliability and inclusivity is what makes the Baraka relationship genuinely different from trading through intermediaries.

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 Iddrisu Memuna 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 multiple certified organic producer groups across the region, including the Konjahie group that Iddrisu Memuna works with.

What does certified organic mean for Baraka shea butter?

For the Konjahie group, certified organic means shea nuts are harvested and processed without pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, or solvents at any stage. The shea trees grow wild and are not cultivated, so the organic status reflects the harvesting and processing practices rather than controlled agriculture. Baraka's ingredients are produced without chemical extraction — hand-processed using traditional water-based methods — and 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.