We just received this client story from WPF’s partner in Ghana, Grameen Ghana:
“My name is Azaratu. I am a thirty-eight years old woman engaged in shea butter processing in the Karaga District of the Northern Region. I am married with eight children all of whom attend school and are registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme. I joined Simli Pong credit association located in 2011 and has been receiving loan from WPF through Grameen Ghana.
I have been in shea butter business for the past twenty years now. I learnt the business from my mother who was also a Shea butter processor. I started my own business in 2008 through some financial support from my mother and the shea nuts I picked that year. My dream was to grow my business to become the leading supplier of shea butter in the Karaga District. I was processing six bowls of Shea nuts in a week due to lack of credit facilities that could help me increase my production and also market the product. This was frustrating and nearly sent me back to be working for my mother.
However, after joining Grameen Ghana, the financial problem that was a major hindrance to my business has been solved. My business has transformed from production in bowls to production in bags. I took an initial loan of GHC100.00 ($40) which helped me to increase my production to 60 bowls (120kg) of shea nut per week. Now we are in the seventh cycle and my current loan is GHC500.00 ($200). With this amount I am now processing as much as 10 bags (1,600kg) of shea nut into butter within a week. I am also able to buy the Shea nut in bags during the picking period and store for future production during the off-picking period when the price is high. My income has also increased from GHC20 ($8.30) in a week when I started with my own resources to GHC 250 ($100) a week currently. My business has grown 10 folds in three years and people are amazed how my life has changed. I can handle all my children’s financial needs when my husband has no money.
My hope has rekindled and I believe that my dream of becoming a leading supplier of shea butter in the Karaga District can become real. All these I must attribute to the support I received from WPF through Grameen Ghana. I pray that God continue to bless WPF and Grameen Ghana so that poor women like me can also benefit from their programme.”