Bulungu Shea Processing Women’s Group Drives Multiple Benefits from A Mechanized Water System
By: Francis Npong
In Bulungu, a farming community nestled in the landscape of Savelugu Municipality in the Northern region of Ghana, shea processing had long been the economic pillar and backbone of women in that community.
For generations, they had handpicked shea nuts, transported them home, processed them into shea butter, and sold their products in local markets during lean seasons. “Shea butter processing is arduous, time-consuming, and often yields little profit when it is processed with unwholesome water,” says Grace Safura Iddrissu, a leader of the Bulungu Shea Butter Processing Group.
Water scarcity was a constant challenge. Women and girls whose responsibility is to ensure availability of water for household chores had to walk miles to fetch water from opened and contaminated water sources. This leaves them with little time to focus on their economic activities or their families, aside from the health implications of carrying and consuming such water.
However, everything changed for these women when World Vision Ghana supported them with a modern shea butter processing center equipped with modern machines and a mechanised water system.
This provided safe and clean water accessible to the entire community. For the Bulungu Shea Butter Processing Women's Group, it was nothing short of a miracle, a life-changing intervention that lifted them from poverty to a thriving economic and health path.
“Using clean water for shea butter extraction brings out the quality and quantity of the butter. ‘We have seen an increase in both the quality and quantity of shea butter since we had water flowing at our doorstep,” she adds.
With the mechanised water system in place, the women no longer had to spend hours each day trekking to the open water sources. Clean water was now available just steps away from their homes and processing center.
This simple yet transformative change freed up their time and energy, allowing them to focus on expanding their shea butter business. With the extra time they gained, they increased their shea butter production, improved the quality of their product, and even started packaging it more attractively. This led to higher demand in local and international markets, and their income began to grow. Access to safe water does more than just quench the thirst of beneficiaries.
Based on the production records at the Bunglung Shea Butter Processing Centre, in 2019, an amount of $2,432 (exchange rate of 0.1869) was realised; in 2020, $16,021; in 2021, $7,073; and in 2022, it declined further to $1,080.
This revenue decline was because of the production cost, in which water haulage constituted the chunk of the production cost. But in August 2022, when a mechanised water system was installed, revenue increased to $26,012. Their products attracted Body Shop International, a cosmetic company from Canada, and the Savanna Fruits Company, a local shea butter exporting company.
Empowering households, improving healthcare delivery and education
The increased income had a ripple effect on the women's households. For the first time, many of them could afford to provide their families with nutritious food, clothing, and healthcare. But the most profound impact was on their children's education. With the additional income, the women were able to pay school fees, buy uniforms, and purchase school supplies. Their children, who had once been at risk of dropping out due to financial constraints, now had the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
One of the women, Fatima Ibrahim, says, "Before, I could barely afford to send my children to school. Now, my eldest daughter is in health training college pursuing nursing. This intervention has given us hope for a better future."
The birth of the dry garden
Inspired by their success, the women decided to take their innovation a step further. They established a dry season garden near the water system; using water hoses and irrigation can techniques, they grow fresh vegetables. The garden quickly became a source of pride and sustenance for these women. They grew tomatoes, onions, peppers, and other vegetables, which they sold in the market and used to feed their families.
The dry season garden not only provided a new source of income but also improved the community's nutrition. For many families, fresh vegetables had been a luxury they could rarely afford. Now, they had access to healthy, homegrown produce year-round.
Transformation
The mechanised water system did more than just solve the water scarcity issue—it sparked a wave of positive change throughout Bulungu. “At the clinic, health delivery had changed, and at the school, children no longer leave school for home just to drink water. The community became more self-reliant, and the women's group emerged as a model of resilience and innovation.
The success of the Bulungu Shea Butter Processing Women's Group inspired neighbouring villages to adopt similar initiatives. The women became mentors, sharing their knowledge and experiences with others who sought to transform their own communities.
A legacy of empowerment
Today, the Bulungu Shea Butter Processing Women's Group stands as a testament to the power of innovation and collective action. What began as a struggle for survival has blossomed into a story of empowerment, growth, and hope. The mechanised water system was the catalyst, but it was the women's determination, creativity, and unity that turned a simple solution into a life-changing transformation.
“Without access to safe water, women and girls are forced to spend hours each day collecting water, limiting their ability to pursue education, work, or other opportunities. This water facility added to the Shea processing center is benefiting the entire community, enabling girls and women to have enough time to attend to their economic and livelihood activities such as schooling and attending to their farms,” says Grace Safura Iddrissu.
