Yovi
: shea butter production
Increasing economic opportunities and education in Northern Ghana
Yovi works on advocacy for children’s rights through youth development activities and micro-finance in Tamale, Northern Ghana. The organisation received its first international funding from Tzedek this year for a project that enables shea butter production.
Women in rural communities receive a micro-loan of about £50 from Yovi. They use this for buying shea nuts that they then process into shea butter. The finished product is sold in the marketplace, providing a vital and sustainable income for families living in poverty. This ensures that children can regularly attend school and have a chance at helping themselves out of the poverty trap. Women also receive essential business training from Tzedek’s partners and form cooperatives which help improve the wider community.
If funds raised exceed the amount needed for this appeal then Tzedek will allocate the surplus where it is needed most. Thank you for your ongoing support and thank you to AfriKids for providing the photographs.
A case study of a young boy from Yovi
Kojo is one of those most affected by extreme poverty in Northern Ghana. His mother is forced to make a living through stone breaking in a nearby quarry. It is gruelling work that is fraught with danger because of constant explosions and severe dehydration. Her earnings are barely sufficient to cover basic needs such as food and clothing, so Kojo is often forced to work in the mine instead of going to school. Doing so is the difference between two meals a day and starving.
In 2009 everything changed for Kojo. His mother was identified by Tzedek’s partners after they spotted her carrying heavy stones from the quarry.
Now Tzedek’s partners have been able to make a remarkable difference to both their lives. With a small loan provided by Tzedek’s partners, Kojo's mother and a group of other women have been able to form self-help groups and purchase shea nuts for processing. Shea butter is a valuable cream that is used in moisturiser, chocolate and cooking oil. With the money raised from selling the butter, Kojo can go to school, buy a new school uniform and school books.
Kojo is lucky. Over 800,000 children in Ghana are still involved in hazardous labour.
With your help we can change that, one child at a time.
- £15 a month over a year could help 20 women buy equipment to produce shea butter and give their families a lasting income.
- £25 a month over a year could provide a group of 4 women with business training so they have the skills to help themselves.
Tzedek believes that there is nothing more Jewish then helping someone out of poverty. Hundreds of years ago Maimonides defined the Jewish ideal of giving:
‘The highest form of charity is to take a poor person into partnership.’
Tzedek does just this, giving them not only a chance to feed and clothe their children to do so with their dignity. Kojo’s mother has kept her dignity because she is slowly paying back the small loan that got her on the first step out of poverty.
This Chanukah, your generosity can provide a future for a child like Kojo. It is amazing that one small nut can make such a huge difference, thank you.
