Tamale: The Dalogyili Zaapayim Women Agro-Processing Centre has been inaugurated at Dalogyili, a suburb of Tamale, to help women groups in shea butter processing in six communities. The processing centre provides opportunities for women from Yagyili, Wumbei Yili, Dalogyilli, and three other neighboring communities to add value to agriculture products to generate increased revenues.
According to Ghana News Agency, the facility is equipped with modern machines and infrastructure to ease production and increase output of shea butter, black soap, and other shea-based value-added products for local and international markets, supermarkets, and large-scale buyers. It was constructed with a grant amount donated by Vibrant Village Foundation (VVF), Portland Oregon State, United States, through its local partner PureTrust Foundation (PTF). Estee Lauder Companies Charitable Foundation also made a donation of an unspecified grant amount in support of the project through its partners; Savannah Fruits Company Limited and Business for Social Responsibility.
The facility supports the economic empowerment of women in the Dalogyili operational zone and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by promoting decent work for women to end poverty in all its forms. Mr. Osman Mohammed, Regional Partnership Director, VVF, speaking during the inauguration of the facility, said it was a milestone in rural empowerment. He noted that the initiative was born out of a shared vision to uplift women with income-generating activities that improved their quality of life, marking a significant step towards empowering communities and fostering sustainable livelihoods.
The delegation from VVF and PTF also visited Zujung, another suburb of Tamale, where VVF and PTF have been supporting young women who are members of the Winitra Women Weavers Association under the Inclusive Smock Project. The project, which began with eight women, has expanded to 29 participants, who are being trained in smock weaving and provided with start-up capital in the form of smock weaving machines and threads.
Mr. Eric Brehm, a Board Member of VVF, commended PTF for its community-driven approach, saying it is not only about providing jobs but also responsibilities. He emphasized the positive impact and expressed commitment to continuing the partnership. Mr. Habib Haruna, Chief Executive Officer of PTF, emphasized that the agro-processing centre and the Inclusive Smock Project reflected the organisation's mission of promoting economic security and social inclusion by empowering women with income-generating activities.
The processing centre is the fifth shea butter processing centre constructed by PTF in partnership with VVF and other donors such as the United Nations Development Programme and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Accra. PTF has previously supported other shea processing centres with soap stamping machines and expanded processing rooms, directly impacting more than 15,000 people across its operational areas.
Madam Faustina Mahama, Leader of the women shea processors group at Dalogyili, expressed gratitude to PTF and VVF for their support, recalling how the group's work conditions have improved since PTF's intervention four years ago. Members can now produce more with less stress, thanks to the machines provided, making their work smoother and their lives better.
However, they cited a lack of water in the area as a key challenge and called for support to construct a borehole to provide a reliable water supply for the community.
