YOUR IMPACT: Issahaku Kubura

Issahaku Kubura is a shea nut collector and shea butter producer from the Konjahie community in Ghana's Upper West Region. A mother of nine, 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, processing, and packaging shea butter is central to both her family's livelihood and her community's economic activity.

In this video, Issahaku speaks about something that sets this post apart from many others in the series: Baraka's role as a trainer. Baraka came to her community and taught the women the full process — how to pick the shea nuts properly, how to process them into butter, and how to package the finished product correctly. In the year since Baraka arrived, she says, the benefits have been significant. This is a story about capacity building as much as it is about purchasing.

Issahaku Kubura 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's appearance can vary naturally depending on how and where it is produced — colour, texture, and scent all shift with season, region, and processing method. You can read more in the guide to the natural colour variations in shea butter, including what these differences mean and why they are a sign of authenticity rather than inconsistency. 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 Issahaku Kubura and what does she do?

Issahaku Kubura is a shea nut collector and shea butter producer from the Konjahie community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She is a mother of nine 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 nut collection, traditional hand-processing into butter, and packaging the finished product for sale.

What does Issahaku say about working with Baraka?

Issahaku speaks about Baraka's role as a trainer in her community. Baraka came and taught the women the complete process — how to pick shea nuts, how to process them into butter, and how to package the finished product correctly. In the year since Baraka arrived, she says, the community has benefited significantly. For Issahaku, the training Baraka provided is as important as the purchasing relationship itself.

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 Issahaku Kubura 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 Issahaku Kubura 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.