• 3,438

• Women Leaders Managing Cooperatives

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

• 460,225 Women Trained
• 46% Increased Income
• 98 Women Shea Cooperatives Developed

Reaching women collectors and processors through training programs remained a top priority for the Alliance. Trainings contribute to better organization of trading activities at the upstream level, improve women’s economic opportunities and reinforce industry standards pertaining to quality production. Consequently, 39,307 new women collectors and processors were reached in 2021. Additionally, in partnership with the International Trade Centre through the SheTrades in the Commonwealth project, the GSA trained 410 women shea collectors on business development in Guinea. In order to ensure the long-term viability of cooperatives, we also focused on providing refresher trainings to existing women shea cooperatives to propel them to self-reliance. 19 cooperatives, made up of 11,401 women received such trainings. As self-reliant cooperatives, women shea collectors and processors are able to independently or with minimum support engage and maintain a trading relationship with off-takers, deliver on contractual terms, identify and operate other income-generating activities.

“ Most of us never went to school but we are happy that the trainings are helping us to operate our businesses very well. Nowadays, we are also able to manage our profits, so that it’s enough to sustain us and our children for a longer time.”
-Delphine Ouoror, Gosso, Benin

INCOME, INVESTMENT & IMPACT

Income generated from shea-related activities is enhancing the ability of women collectors and processors to invest in additional income-generating activities both individually and as a cooperative. Women invest their income in activities such as: grain farming, rice processing and trading of various commodities. In the village of Tambaare in the Upper West Region of Ghana, the members of the Kanyir Songtaah-Tietaah cooperative purchased a motor tricycle with their shea profit, to be used for hiring services in the community.

“From the cooperative development training, I remember that for a cooperative to be successful, the opinion of all the members is important. Also, each group contributes to the running of the cooperative by paying dues and participating in all meetings” Barikisou Sourokou, Bembèrèkè Cooperative, Benin.