Economic benefits have seen Shea Butter village women being able to pay school fees for their children & grand children, buy school uniforms, buy food for the family and invest in livestock and other farming activities. SSWC reports that the benefits to them go beyond money.

Some of the benefits the SSWC women mention are:
• Affording them a sense of independence, competence and confidence
• Gaining a sense of independence from their husbands and men in general
• Gaining self-confidence and business management competence
• Building the future generation through education of their children
• Strengthening the capacity of the primary producers through training and enhancing their understanding of the market requirements and the need to process premium quality bulk Shea Butter.

Test results from bulk Shea Butter processed by SSWC have shown that the rural women can comply to international standards if the right training is given. Export of Shea Butter results in better markets with better prices for the women’s bulk Shea Butter.

Overall it means better incomes for the entire supply chain, from the primary Shea Nuts picker to the local women who owns the truck that transport Shea butter to the port of Tema. With higher incomes the women members of the SSWC cooperative can fend for their families much easier and their standard of life has improved. They can surpass their basic needs.

SSWC has transformed bulk Shea Butter processing and made it into a substantial industry run by women, from production to logistical supports with marketing and sales support from Sekaf Ghana Ltd.