YOUR IMPACT: Sangatae Christnn

Sangatae Christnn is a shea nut collector and shea butter producer from the Oli community in Ghana's Upper West Region. A mother of eight, she works closely with other women in the Oli 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 the wider cooperative.

In this video, Sangatae speaks about what Baraka's presence in her community has meant in practical terms. Baraka comes to the Oli community to purchase the shea nuts directly — and pays more than the women expected. For Sangatae, that income has opened up a whole range of possibilities for her family. It is a straightforward account of what a fair and reliable buyer means to a woman with eight children depending on her work.

Sangatae Christnn 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. One question that often comes up when people begin using shea butter is whether it might be too heavy for their skin type — you can read more about whether shea butter clogs pores, including how traditionally made, unrefined shea butter behaves differently from processed alternatives. The Oli 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 Sangatae Christnn and what does she do?

Sangatae Christnn is a shea nut collector and shea butter producer from the Oli community in Ghana's Upper West Region. She is a mother of eight and works closely with other women in the Oli 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 processing into shea butter using traditional hand methods.

What does Sangatae say about working with Baraka?

Sangatae speaks about what it means to have Baraka come directly to her community to purchase the shea nuts. She describes the payment as more than the women expected — a surprise in the best sense. With that income, she says, the women are able to do a whole lot of things. For a mother of eight, a reliable and generous buyer is not just a convenience — it is the foundation of what her family can provide for 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 Sangatae Christnn 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 Oli group that Sangatae Christnn works with.

What does certified organic mean for Baraka shea butter?

For the Oli 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.