With the fasting starting for Ramadan we are meeting with the women who produce Baraka Shea Butter and making a ceremonial contribution to support them. For me it feels great because last year I missed being with them to celebrate Eid, the feast at the end of Ramadan, because I was in Canada. It is one of my favourite things… [read more]
Celebrating Eid/Sallah – Breaking the Fast with Chief
I try every year to be in northern Ghana at the end of Ramadan. I enjoy the love, joy and celebration that permeates this special time, and we always try to have special treats for the children. In this video I am breaking the Fast with the Chief, sharing traditional food with them in a centuries old ritual. EID/Sallah, the… [read more]
Kombo Butter and Baraka Impact Interview
Learn how Baraka has partnered with NCRC (Nature Conservation Research Centre) to develop the Kombo Nut as an income generation and ecosystem conservation activity for women and families in Ghanaian villages. Kombo Butter, which has amazing pain relief and other natural qualities, is made from the seed/nut of the Kombo Tree. The Kombo Tree grows naturally in cocoa forests, producing… [read more]
Village Market Walkthrough
Market days in rural Ghanaian villages are always interesting. Women and traders come from all over with their wares. What they’ve grown, what they’ve made, traditional medicines and crafts and more. Market days are even more interesting when you have someone local who can tell you what things are, what they are for and how they are used. Follow along… [read more]
Making Black Soap
Black Soap is an incredible product that is just starting to be known and used in North America Ghanaian women have been making black soap with shea butter for generations. Taught by their mothers and grandmothers as they were growing up, Ghanaian women make and use black soap. Follow along in this video as we interview Amina Yussif and she… [read more]
Girls playing football (very well)
I love the wild abandon and joy of kids playing. It is universal and always brings a smile to my face and lightness to my heart. You don’t need a formal team and field. Watch these kids play football (soccer) on bare dirt with a ball made with tape and whatever they can find. And, notice all the girls playing… [read more]
Driving the Streets of Wa
Come with us as we drive through Wa, the Capital of Ghana’s Upper West Region Many have asked for more information about the communities so come along as we drive across Wa and hear Alfred Akolgo describe what we are seeing and passing through #KnowAboutShea – a series of informational posts about shea butter and the women, families… [read more]
Making a Mortar and Pestle
An elder hand-making a pestle for use in a large mortar and pestle. A lot of work. Amazing craftsmanship passed down through generations. A mortar and pestle is used extensively in cooking and processing in Shea Forest communities. In fact, the traditional way to make shea butter involved crushing the seeds in a large mortar and pestle and then grinding… [read more]
Baraka’s Shea Butter Producers
Meet the women who make Baraka Shea Butter. Baraka Shea Butter is well-known for its quality. The credit for the quality goes to the hard-working women who make it. On this video you can see about 150 of them.
[watch video]
Welcome Dance
I love the energy that the women bring to work, meetings and life. The joy and abandon of the dancing and celebrating is contagious. Watch as the women who make Baraka Shea Butter dance to open a meeting and see the women using traditional instruments to support them. Turn up the sound and listen as Amina Yussif explains the Welcome… [read more]
Shea Butter Lantern
#SheaButterLanterns Shea Butter: For light, for studying, for life. We think of shea butter as this amazing ingredient we can use for soaps and skin care. For the Wali people in Northern Ghana who make Baraka Shea Butter it is much more. It is food. It is light. It is fuel. Many have studied and learnt by the light of… [read more]
A Walk in the Wa Market
Markets are central to community life. Everywhere. Join us as we watch some of the produce go by in the Wa Market (Capital city of Ghana’s Upper West Region) and end by buying some Poona Yams (a delicious, sweet yam – one of my favourites).
Shea Butter is traditionally made into small balls and sold in markets like this
Community Water Well
#WaterIsLife – true everywhere, and especially in shea butter producing communities on the edge of the Sahara in Northern Ghana. Village wells are the centre of community social and much work activity.
[watch video]
Asungtaaba Basket Group Sharing Fund
Women self-organize into work and support groups at the community level throughout northern Ghana and, indeed, in many other areas of the world. These groups fulfill important social, economic and community functions and have evolved a way or working, organizing and collaborating over generations. Unfortunately, they are too often ‘improved’ by well-meaning outsiders and formal structures and procedures put in… [read more]
Asongo Basket Group Welcome Dance
Meetings, activities and events are traditionally opened with song and dance. It injects energy into whatever is happening and helps get everyone in a joyous and open mind and space.
[watch video]
Traditional Opening of the Coconut Festival
Traditional singing, dancing and instruments to open Ghana’s Coconut Festival. Traditionally meetings, events and activities are opened with song, music and dance. It is a wonderful tradition.
[watch video]
Baraka Shea Butter Producers
Meet the women who make Baraka Shea Butter. Baraka Shea Butter is well-known for its quality. The credit for the quality goes to the hard-working women who make it. On this video you can see about 150 of them.
[watch video]
Tabiasi Women’s Enterprise Centre
A live walkthrough of the Tabiasu Women’s Enterprise Centre with Alfred Akolgo, Baraka’s Country Manager. You can see the women using the facility for the preparation of Shea Nuts (seeds) as we discuss the centre, why we built it, how it will be used and the impact it is already having.
[watch video]
Building and using the Tabiasi Women’s Enterprise Centre
The Tabiasu Women’s Enterprise Centre was built primarily with local labour and local materials, including hand-made mud bricks. Follow along as we have a live discussion of the construction, why and how we maximized local impact and minimized the environmental footprint
[watch video]
Shea Nut Roasters: Safer, Healthier, Easier
Making handmade shea butter is a lot of work. Using shea nut roasters helps make it a bit easier, and a lot safer and healthier. And does a better job.
[watch video]
Baraka TV: Interview with Amina and Lillian
“Aunty” Amina Yussif has worked with Baraka for over a decade, training and supporting women in communities throughout Ghana’s Upper West Region. A year ago she was joined by Mwintoma Lilian and together they are key members of Baraka’s Ghana team.
[watch video]
Baraka TV: Kperisi Naa (Chief) Interview
Kperisi Chief, Naa Alhassan Sidiki Bomsi III initially invited Wayne and Baraka to the community to work with the local women’s group to help them develop additional and alternative income generation opportunities. Wayne engage “Aunty” Amina and the relationship that evolved into Baraka Shea Butter began.
[watch video]
Baraka TV: Zenabo Interview
Zenabo Imoro is one of the leaders of the Kperisi Shea Butter group. In this clip she discusses the care that goes into making Baraka Shea Butter, the long-standing relationship between the hard-working women of northern Ghana
[watch video]
Shea Butter Lamps light it up
Shea Butter Lamps light it up! Shea Butter has so many traditional uses. Many in northern Ghana have done homework by the light of a shea butter lamp. Shea butter rubbed into locally grown cotton and placed on something
[watch video]
The Best-Dancer
Joyous dance is part of so many community events. Everyone joins in, including the children. The joy and abandon this young girl dances with is incredible. It will make your face smile and your heart sing.
[watch video]
Baraka TV Show w-subtitles
We filmed a discussion between Baraka founder Wayne Dunn, women shea butter producers, the community Chief, Baraka’s local team and others. They discuss making shea butter, families, life in northern Ghana, the impact Baraka has on the community and how they enjoy the feedback from people who use Baraka Shea Butter. Watch the full 30 minute film – subtitled in English
[watch video]
Producer Interview with Zenabo Imoro
A discussion with Zenabo Imoro, one of the leaders of the groups of hard-working women who make Baraka Shea Butter. She discusses how they make Baraka Shea Butter, how they focus on quality and the impact that Baraka’s purchases
[watch video]
Teacher discussing the need income generation skills training
When children leave school early it is devastating. Listen as a local teacher discusses the reality that far too many children in northern Ghana face as economic circumstances force them to leave school early.
[watch video]
Cultural Display at Global Day to Combat Desertification, Wechiau, Ghana
This video that Wayne filmed in 2011 in northern Ghana while he was supporting Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency on their Anti-Desertification Program highlights some of the community/cultural integration that is part of the effort to create grassroots awareness and action on climate change and its impact.
[watch video]
From Our Hands: The Baraka Shea Butter Song and Dance
The joy of hand-crafting @Baraka Shea Butter is celebrated in this video as the hard-working women who make it have just created a new song and dance to celebrate their joy. The joy and their celebration are the direct
[watch video]
Using shells from shea nuts for fuel
Nothing is wasted. Preparing Shea Nuts (seeds) for making Shea Butter includes removing the husks. These husks are not just discarded. Watch as @Baraka’s Women’s Development Coordinator @Amina Yusiff explains how the women use the husks for fuel, saving resources and money
[watch video]
Community Certified Fair Trade Interview
Watch an interview with Zenabu Imoru, a leader of the Kperisi women’s group and the community Chief where they discuss their working relationship with Baraka Shea Butter and the Community Certified Fair-Trade certification they provided. Sub-titled in English.
[watch video]
Practical Household Economics for Schoolchildren Interview
Survival Economics for School Children. Driven by poverty and family situations many children in impoverished villages in northern Ghana are forced to leave school early, often as young as 12 or 13 years old. Too often this sets in place another cycle of poverty
[watch video]
Copying Textbooks- Learning takes effort, lots of it
Listen to the teacher discuss some of the realities of school life for these young men and women. And, behind it all marvel because some will come from this classroom and others like it and go on to be become business,
[watch video]
Baraka Shea Butter: No waste from making it
Waste Not. That is how we do it. @Amina Yussif, explains the care and strategy that goes into ensuring that nothing is wasted when making Baraka Shea Butter. She explains how the hard-working women who make
[watch video]
