PureTrust Foundation empowers women’s groups with shea processing facility

By Samuel SAM

PureTrust Foundation (PTF) LBG, a non-profit organisation focused on livelihoods, advocacy, social services and community development, has empowered over 500 women from the Dalogyili Zaapayim Shea Butter Group with the provision of an agro-processing centre at Dalogyili in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region.

The facility is expected to boost shea butter production and improve income generation for women in the area. The organisation, which has long been engaged in empowering women through shea butter processing and smock weaving initiatives in northern Ghana, seeks to promote economic security and social inclusion for disadvantaged groups—particularly rural women—by forming cooperatives and providing training in shea nut picking, processing and weaving.

With funding support from the Vibrant Village Foundation (VVF) based in Portland, Oregon, USA and implemented through its local partner PTF, the project involved the construction and commissioning of an agro-processing centre to support the economic empowerment of women in six communities within the Dalogyili operational zone.

The initiative forms part of efforts to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly by promoting decent work for women and ending poverty in all its forms.

Additional support for the project was provided by the Estée Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation, in collaboration with Savannah Fruits Company Limited and BSR.

In line with its broader mission to alleviate poverty in rural communities, PTF has also established and supported shea processing centres in neighbouring districts such as Bole in the Savannah Region through partnerships with the UNDP Adaptation Fund and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI). These initiatives aim to improve the quality of shea butter processing and enhance women’s access to sustainable income from shea resources.

Members of the women’s cooperative groups expressed their appreciation to PTF and its partners for providing the facility and training that have enabled them to contribute more effectively to household and community development.

“Through this initiative, we have been able to support our husbands in paying school fees and meeting family needs, which has also brought peace to our homes,” they said.

Board member of VVF, Mr. Eric Brehn, commended PTF for its dedication to promoting women’s economic empowerment in rural communities.

“I am very impressed with how the funds provided for this project have been utilised. The impact on the women’s groups has been significant and has helped to alleviate poverty in these communities,” he said.

Regional Partnership Director for West Africa at VVF, Osman Mohammed, said the initiative stemmed from VVF’s shared vision of uplifting communities through income-generating activities that improve quality of life.

“By empowering these dedicated women’s groups, we are not only helping them build sustainable businesses but also creating opportunities that foster independence, self-reliance and hope,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to PTF for its tireless efforts in implementing the project and congratulated the women for their commitment.

“This facility is more than just a workplace—it represents a pathway to dignity, financial sustainability and a brighter future for you and your families,” he added, urging the beneficiaries to maintain the facility and make good use of it.

Chief Executive Officer of PTF, Habib Haruna, said the foundation has so far formed 20 women-led shea enterprise cooperatives with over 1,300 members, training them in quality production to improve market access and earnings. He added that PTF continues to advocate for marginalised women’s rights to shea parklands to ensure long-term sustainability.

“The handover of this facility to the women’s groups in Dalogyili marks a continuation of our mission to transfer control of such projects to local cooperatives, fostering self-reliance and community-driven development,” he said.

Mr. Haruna highlighted that shea processing remains a vital economic activity in Ghana’s savannah regions, where women collect and process shea nuts into butter for both local and international markets—contributing to gender equality, poverty reduction and environmental preservation.

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