Fuseina Mohammed on Earning Income Through Mango Innovation in Ghana

Fuseina Mohammed is part of the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre mango kernel pilot initiative in Ghana's Upper West Region, where women are learning to collect and process mango pits that were previously discarded as agricultural waste. In her own words, she describes what this shift means for her work and her community. This video is part of Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

Her story reflects a practical shift toward women-led production, where traditional knowledge and new techniques come together to create safer, locally rooted work. This kind of innovation supports ethical sourcing by valuing materials already present in the community and ensuring women are paid for their labor.

From Discarded Pits to Earned Income

In northern Ghana, mango season has long meant abundance — and waste. The pits at the center of every fruit were routinely discarded, their value unrecognized. Fuseina and the women in this pilot initiative are changing that. By learning to collect, process, and extract the natural fats locked inside mango kernels, they are turning a byproduct into a livelihood. This is what ethical sourcing through What Is Chain of Custody in Natural Skincare looks like in practice.

For Fuseina, this isn't a replacement for her existing work — it's an addition to it. The mango kernel process has created a new stream of earned income built entirely from materials already present in her community, processed with skills she and her peers are developing together.

What Women-Led Innovation Looks Like

The mango pilot doesn't ask women to abandon what they already know. It builds on it. Working with seeds, understanding how plant-based fats behave across seasons, processing natural materials by hand — this knowledge has always lived in these communities. The program creates a new context for applying it. Learn more about how Baraka documents this work through Natural Ingredient Certifications Explained.

That combination of inherited knowledge and new technique is exactly the kind of innovation that responsible sourcing should support. It doesn't require women to become something different. It asks the supply chain to recognize the value of what they already are.

Why This Matters for Ethical Sourcing

Ethical sourcing conversations often happen far from the people at the center of them. Fuseina's story is a reminder that the most important measure isn't certification — it's whether the women doing the work are genuinely better off for being part of it.

For Fuseina, the answer is yes: she is paid for her labor, she is gaining a transferable skill, and she is working within her own community. That is what community-rooted supply chains look like in practice — not charity, but craft. Not extraction, but exchange.

Fuseina Mohammed is one of the women whose work makes Baraka shea butter possible. Baraka has invested in improving working conditions at the cooperative, including the development of this mango kernel pilot initiative — creating new income streams from agricultural waste that would otherwise be discarded. 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.

Every purchase of Baraka shea butter supports the women of the Konjeihi cooperative directly. Read more about the sourcing standards behind every ingredient in How Handmade Shea Butter is Made.

Mango Kernel and Shea Butter: Two Ingredients, One Supply Chain

Shea butter and mango kernel butter are both solid fats sourced from West Africa, but they come from different sources and serve different roles in skincare formulations. Shea butter is soft and melts near body temperature, making it the most versatile base for body moisturisers and DIY skincare. Mango kernel butter is harder and slower absorbing, with a denser texture that works well in balms and solid formulations. For general body moisturising, shea butter is the stronger choice. For a firmer texture in lip balms or body bars, mango kernel butter adds useful structure. Baraka sources both through direct cooperative relationships in Ghana's Upper West Region — ensuring women are paid fairly at every stage of both supply chains.

Why This Matters

None of this happens without the people who choose to buy from a supply chain like this one. Every purchase makes an impact — a direct connection between someone choosing Baraka and the women and communities who make these ingredients possible. When you choose Baraka, you are directly supporting women like Fuseina who are building new livelihoods from the resources already present in their community. Thank you for being part of that.

To read more about the cooperative relationships and the women behind Baraka's ingredients, Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report is the place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mango pit initiative in Ghana?

It is a pilot program training women in Ghana to collect and process mango pits — previously discarded as waste — to extract the natural fats found inside the kernel. These fats have applications in cosmetics and skincare formulations. The program creates an additional earned income stream for participating women, built entirely from materials already present in their community and processed with skills they are developing together.

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. The cooperative has maintained a direct relationship with Baraka for over 15 years. All shea butter is hand-processed using traditional water-based methods with zero chemical extraction. Women receive a fair-trade premium directly, without intermediaries, for every batch they produce.

Who is Fuseina Mohammed?

Fuseina Mohammed is a woman in Ghana participating in Baraka's mango kernel pilot initiative at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region. In the video above, she describes in her own words how the program has created a new source of income and what the process means for her and her community. Her story is part of Baraka's ESG Impact Report on ethical sourcing.

How does mango kernel processing relate to ethical sourcing?

Mango kernel processing is an example of ethical sourcing because it uses materials already present in the community, ensures women are paid for their labor, and builds on existing local knowledge rather than replacing it. It reduces agricultural waste while expanding economic opportunity for women. Rather than importing techniques or displacing existing work, the program creates a new income stream that fits naturally into the lives and skills of the women already doing this work.

Is this part of Baraka's ESG reporting?

Yes. This video is part of Baraka's ESG Impact Report, which documents real experiences from women involved in transparent, responsible supply chains across Ghana. You can read the full report at Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

How is Baraka improving working conditions at the cooperative?

Baraka has invested in developing the mango kernel pilot initiative at the cooperative — a program that creates entirely new income streams for women by transforming agricultural waste into a processed ingredient with value in ethical skincare. Women learn to collect and process mango pits that were previously discarded, earning additional income from materials already present in their community. This initiative builds on Baraka's long-standing commitment to expanding economic opportunity for the women it works with directly.

What does Baraka do to ensure women are paid fairly?

Baraka works directly with women's cooperatives and pilot initiatives in West Africa, building supply chains where women are compensated for their labor at every stage. The chain of custody process ensures traceability from source to finished product. Learn more in Baraka's chain of custody overview.