Short Summary
We are Shola and Funlayo Alabi, founders of Shea Radiance. We manufacture natural hair and body care products made with shea butter.
Our journey began in 2005, while seeking a natural solution for our boys’ dry & eczema prone skin. It led us back to our homeland, West Africa, to the savannah, the source of shea butter.
We started working closely with women’s shea cooperatives in Northern Nigeria. We were touched by the lives of the women who gather the nuts to produce raw shea butter. The lack of access to education & good health care keeps them in a perpetual cycle of poverty despite the abundance of beautiful, natural resources that surround them.
The needs in rural Africa can be quite overwhelming so we are focusing our efforts on very specific initiatives within the shea industry. Shea producing communities are spread all over West Africa and the problems of poverty and lack of access to education and health are the same in these areas.
In March 2013, we are conducting a series of workshops at the Global Shea Alliance Annual Conference. The mission of the conference is to enhance a sustainable and competitive Shea industry that is environmentally and socially responsible.
We are creating access to markets for local shea producers by training other entrepreneurs from 17 West African countries to use locally sourced ingredients to produce personal care products.
The desired outcome of the training session is as follows:
Create an increase demand for locally produced shea in West Africa
Increase shea producers earning power
Train women on efficient ways to produce better quality shea butter
Increase production capacity using locally manufactured technology
Improve standards of living through increased earnings
Invest in other health and education projects
.
This 3-day workshop will require equipment, ingredients, training materials and samples for attendees.
After the training, we will be heading to the villages to reconnect with local shea producers.
In 2011 we purchased equipment – roasters, milling and crushing machines for 8 groups. Some of the equipment is in need of servicing and repair and we may need to assist with repairs in preparation for the upcoming shea harvest.
We will also be following up with our NGO partners to see if we can collaborate on building additional stage facilities for the cooperatives to store their nuts.
We are inspired by the beauty, strength & dignity of the women who harvest & process the shea butter. With your help we can make a difference in the lives of women and their communities.
How Your Funding Helps!
Training Sessions in Abuja
Air transportation to Abuja Nigeria for 3 team members
Accomommodation for 5 nights
Purchase ingredients to be used in training sesions
Ship small scale production equipment for demo
Compile training manuals- layout, print and copies
Sample bags for conference attendees
Visit to cooperative sites
Ground transportation to cooperative site
Hiring repair person to trouble shoot and repair equipment
Photography project with women
Small gift items for women and children
Your support will help us put together a training session that is interactive and meaningful to the attendees.
Your support will allow us to assist small scale Shea producers in West Africa, and help us make sure all the needed equipment is repaired before the Shea season begins in June.
Contribute to the project now and claim your perk on the right side of this page to make this project happen! Spread the word far and wide! Post this link on Facebook, Tweet about us, email your friends, family and colleagues, and help us have a successful campaign!
The Impact
Sharing our knowledge and expertise with small business owners will support creation of business enterprises. These enterprises not only benefits the owners but add value to their local economies.
Fro the rural shea producers, the income from the shea harvest is considered women’s gold. This income belongs to the woman to spend as she pleases. These women spend this money on clothing, medicine and education for their children.
We aspire to make a difference and we know we can’t do this without your help. We can help these small scale shea butter producers increase their income by improving their ability to produce quality shea butter.
Equipment repairs – will increase production capacity and reduce the back breaking labor of producing shea butter
Larger storage facilities will allow them to gather and/or purchase nuts in season at a low price to be used in production later in the year when prices go up
Prepare for upcoming shea harvesting season to increase income
Our successful track record
Already funded and donated 24 units of equipment for 8 cooperatives (3 pieces for each group – Mechanical crusher, Milling machine and Roaster)
Purchased over 12 Metric Tons (26,000 pounds) of Shea Butter from these groups
Please Support This Initiative! Shea Radiance is a great company. The integrity, sense of responsibility and love for the concept of the village is unmatched.
There are only 8 days left on the campaign so
will def donate on Wed,i checked out the website and they have so far to go w/ such little time left
, i’ll spread the word tho.
Great concept. Great efforts to really support hard workers. I would love to do this in a few towns in Ethiopia.