AAK Responsible Growth | 19 The Global Shea Alliance The Global Shea Alliance is a multi-stakeholder association promoting quality and sustainability in the shea industry. It supports rural African communities and promotes women’s empowerment by strengthening the shea industry and value chain. AAK is a founding member together with other stakeholders. Vision To design, develop, and deliver strategies that drive a competitive and sustainable shea industry worldwide, improving the livelihoods of rural African women and their communities Mission To be the premier platform to satisfy the strategic interests and practical needs of its members, shea stakeholders large and small worldwide. More information about the Global Shea Alliance can be found at www.globalshea.com. Kolo Nafaso – the house of shea kernel benefits In 2009, AAK started a project in Burkina Faso working directly with women’s groups in order to educate women to treat the shea in the best possible way – from collection to storage – and thus increase their income from higher quality shea kernels. During the shea season, extending from June 2012 to May 2013, AAK engaged more than 14,000 women in Burkina Faso in our shea project, named “Kolo Nafaso”. The work with the women’s groups in Burkina Faso follows Fair Trade principles.This gives women the ability to decide when, how and to whom to sell the shea kernels in their possession. They are not in any way bound to AAK. AAK promotes transparency in the market and better-quality shea, which is important in elevating the livelihoods of the women doing the lion’s share of the work. The development of our project is following the set plan. Our first intermediate objective – to enrol 30,000 women into our project – will be reached by the end of 2013. A newly conducted questionnaire found that the women participating in the project are enthusiastic and wish to continue working with AAK, especially because pre-financing offered at the very beginning of the season helps fight poverty during the lean season and increases women’s independence. Monika Hjorth General Manager West Africa
AAK Responsible Growth 2012-2013 - UK
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