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Burkinakarité

What

This is an economic project for women in Burkina Faso who produce and sell Shea butter.

Whom

Burkinakarité is an Union of women's associations. The associations have a long tradition of processing shea nuts into butter.

Where

At the countryside of Burkina Faso. Burkinakarité is an Union of women's associations from the villages Kofila, Kwekwesso, Oualana, Toungana and Mogobasso.

Why

Women in Burkina Faso process during the dry season traditionally shea nuts into butter. The butter is sold locally in small quantities on the market or to a local trader. The price is approximately € 0,35 per kilo. The local trader sells it back to a larger trader, which resells it to the cosmetics industry in the West. By dependence on these intermediaries women miss the profit of the sales. By unite the Union Burkinakarité the women will be stronger and they get a higher price for their butter. By Burkinakarité earn the women of the triple what they previously earned. The profit margin which normally remains at the brokering, goes now directly to the women.

How

In 2005 the ASAP Foundation won a price with the Bid challenge for the idea of Burkinakarité. With the prize money women from 5 villages could be helped with the founding of the Union Burkinakarité. With the money we also bought press machines, there is invested in training of the women to guarantee a high-quality of butter and shea nuts for the European market. In 2008, more than 36,000 kg of Shea butter was produced.

Evaluation

This project is going well.