Agbanga Karite

Agbanga Karite: A Shea Butter Success!

We receive our fresh Shea Butter from a women's cooperative in Togo, West Africa. We have tried shea butter from several sources, and Agbanga Karite make the best! Here is what they have to say:

"Shea butter is a major part of the lives of many people in central and northern Togo. Since the 1960s, the Tchala and Agbanga families have been involved in gathering, making, and selling traditional shea butter in regional markets. In early 2003, Olowo-n'djo Tchala took the family business to another level by creating the Agbanga Karite Group, a multi-ethnic, member-controlled, and decentralized organization that produces, exports, and wholesales high quality, traditional unrefined shea butter, and other indigenous products.

The goal of this organization is to help empower the women of Togo by providing them a means of bringing the products of their indigenous knowledge and wisdom to the rest of the world while receiving a fair, living wage for their efforts. Olowo-n'djo named this organization Agbanga Karite to honor his mother's name and the years of struggle she has endured to raise her family. The Agbanga Karite Group strives to be an example for other African organizations to follow by adhering to fair trade and organic production guidelines and giving back a percentage of earnings to its communities.

"We Agbanga Karite members believe we have a unique traditionally handcrafted shea butter based on thousands of years of experience and proven to maintain a healthy skin. We are proud to be able to offer you our shea butter&and thank you for your support" - Limata Gbadamassi, Director of Sokode shea butter center.

A major part of our philosophy is that it is important to give back to our communities. As a result, we sponsor projects within our communities that focus on self-empowerment, the advancement of fair trade, education, sustainable living, and gender equality. In January 2005, with the cooperation of Alaffia Fair Trade Shea Butter and volunteers from around the world, we launched the Global Alliance for Community Empowerment (GACE). GACE will now conduct and oversee all our community projects. For more information, visit the GACE website at www.empowermentalliance.org.

Agbanga Karite's current community projects are focusing on education and empowerment of young Africans. We believe that future of Africa lies in the hands of the young, and that if young Africans are helped with the dilemmas they face - such as harsh poverty and lack of infrastructure, they will in turn help Africa in the future. For this reason, Agbanga Karite has provided more than 300 children with books, uniforms and supplies for the 2004-2005 school year. In addition, Agbanga Karite has paid the school enrollment fees for these children.  In May, 2005 we collaborated with GACE to donate and install new school roofs on rural schools in central Togo. Please visit the GACE website (www.empowermentalliance.org) for pictures and more information."