Global Shea Alliance, EOS and Water for West Africa Empower Women Shea Processors

The Global Shea Alliance (GSA), Evolution of Smooth products and Water for West Africa (WfWA) have forged a strategic partnership to empower women shea processors and improve access to clean water, quality infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods in Northern Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

This partnership forms part of the Shea Investment and Jobs Creation Program, (SHIP) a two-year initiative (2023–2025) funded by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, through the Special Initiative “Decent Work for a Just Transition” of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The program is designed to strengthen the capacity of 12,000 women in shea kernel and butter processing by enhancing product quality, creating decent jobs and enabling greater private sector investment in women-led cooperatives.

Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Shea

At the heart of this collaboration is a shared commitment to building a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient shea industry that recognizes and invests in the women at its foundation. By combining the technical expertise of the Global Shea Alliance, the supply chain leadership of EOS products and the water access solutions of Water for West Africa, the initiative unites complementary strengths to tackle longstanding barriers in the shea sector. Together, the partners are enabling women to lead the transformation of their cooperatives, their communities, and the wider shea ecosystem.

Tools, Training and Water Access

Through the partnership, 150 women processors from the Bobobo Women’s Shea Butter Association Network in Ghana and Coopérative Clojo in Côte d’Ivoire will benefit directly from targeted interventions that support productivity, wellbeing and economic advancement. This phase of the program will provide access to the critical resources needed to scale their operations and improve their livelihoods, including:
Modern shea butter processing equipment to reduce physical labor, increase processing efficiency, and ensure consistent, high-quality products’ Entrepreneurship and business development training to strengthen cooperative leadership, enable income diversification (such as soap-making), and foster climate-smart enterprise; and; Clean water infrastructure through the construction of mechanized boreholes, coupled with WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training, to improve processing hygiene and protect community health.

“This partnership is a demonstration of how global brands, NGOs and local actors can come together to build resilient, women-led economies,” said Wunmi Osholake, deputy managing director, Global Shea Alliance. “It’s not just about productivity, it’s about dignity, sustainability and long-term change.”