Linda- Remarkable individuals

Why set up a business?

When the entrepreneur tells you of her desire to

work within her home community; to develop  “economic self reliance” among young women with little or no education; to counteract their vulnerability due to traditions which forbid women owning land or profiting from the fruits of harvested crops, (against the laws of Ghana, but persisting) ; to show through education and participation, that

 “you can use what you have to get what you don’t have- to make a better place for yourself. You can make a better living using the few resources you have at your disposal;”

then you feel humbled and in awe of a remarkable woman.

 Binaba- a large village with its own market- some 30 minutes motorbike ride from Zebilla-is typical of settlements in this part of Ghana. The major question is how to make a living.  An education-while no guarantee of employment- opens options. Without learning, there is subsistence farming, small trading, local handicrafts and artisan trades to serve community needs. Women, burdened with the responsibilities of child care, family care, household duties and crop maintenance are in the worse position. Traditional customs favouring the male override Ghana’s laws on land ownership and inheritance, so that although women may toil on the land, the men, as the owners, take any profits.

Linda , former student of the University of Development Studies in Ghana, who, through a combination of serious study and applying techniques to practical situations, is now progressing her own business- The Shea Butter Hope Givers.

Local shea nuts are roasted, then kneaded to make a butter, to be used as skin care or for cooking. The work is done by women in their homes, and the resulting shea butter brought to local markets for sale, providing another way to supplement the hand to mouth activities.

Shea nuts- the nut is covered with a sweet coating-tasting something like dates- and is good to eat, though so thin, that it could never be exported as a fruit. Within, the rich brown nut- which is processed- can be seen.

When in season, shea nuts are gathered from the trees, and sold by the road side.

Shea butter for sale in local markets- quality varies, prices vary according to season, and the product, while measured in bowls, is then transferred into a black poly bag when sold.