In response to rampant hunger and need in conflict torn Sudan. Body Harmony is a contributor to the solution, and so are YOU!
Over the past decade, Afrika Mba, Inc. has
created an infrastructure for a sustainable Shea oil industry for the
women of Southern Sudan and other parts of Africa, ensuring the rights
of African women as the traditional guardians of the Shea nut tree.
Processing Shea oil is extremely labor-intensive, but with proper
storage, Shea oil can be preserved year round for use. Through the
careful organization of nut collection sites and oil processing
centers, enough Shea oil can be produced in Southern Sudan and other
parts of Africa to meet local demand and to convert surplus oil into
marketable skin care products.
The Lulu Tree:
Sudan's and other parts of Africa’s Vital Natural Resource
The nilotica variety of Shea nut tree (called lulu in Arabic) grows
mainly in a narrow band of savannah extending from Senegal to Ethiopia.
Lulu trees grow abundantly on the ironstone plateau and the alluvial
plains of Southern Sudan and other parts of Africa. This medium sized
deciduous tree rarely exceeds 15m, and is estimated to live between 200
to 300 years, with 15 to 20 years of growth required before fruiting.
Because the tree's rich bounty of nutritious lulu nuts yields at the
exact time of the seasonal hunger, the lulu tree is greatly celebrated
in Southern Africa as a vital natural resource. The economic value of
lulu nuts is also extremely high, providing women guardians with income
and household food security.
Nilotica vs Paradoxa:
The Advantage of Purity
The vitellaria nilotica variety of Shea nut varies from
the better-known paradoxa variety that has been commercially exploited
in West Africa for decades. The oil from darker paradoxa nuts has to be
bleached and deodorized before processing into skin care products, so
the resulting butters lack the untouched purity of butters crafted from
nilotica oil.
Since nilotica oil has a naturally pure and mild flavor that requires
little processing, it has become a highly coveted additive for natural
skin and hair care products. Rich in olein, nilotica oil from these
nuts is superior in cosmetics and is known in Africa and around the
world for its positive effects on the digestive system, the hair and
skin.
The Guardians of Life
Over the past century, the secrets of the lulu Shea nut have been
unearthed and passed down by Sudanese women, the traditional guardians
of the lulu tree. The women share a symbiotic relationship with this
life-giving tree, eating the fruit, processing the nuts into oil and
enjoying the tree's cool shade. The nutritious oil was particularly
important during Sudan's civil war and is still a main source of food
security during the yearly dry season. Corporations have sprung to the
defense of African women and the exploitation of their labors. Afrika Mba, Inc.is only one in many.
Turning Nuts into Oil
Wild-crafted, non-certified organic lulu nuts are collected and fully
dried, then pounded into a mash using a large mortar and pestle called
a funduk. Women push the mash through a hand-powered cold press mill
that squeezes the oil from the nuts, retaining the nutritive properties
and yielding clear, lightly scented oil that transforms readily into a
creamy butter. The women add beeswax and essential plant oils to
convert the lulu oil into naturally pure soaps and lip balms.
Profits for the People
Afrika Mba, Inc. is helping women maintain a healthy household with
money for food, clothing, education and medical care. Sustainable
living coupled with a wide variety of productive investments is
contributing greatly to the development of the local economy.
A few of the ladies shared their thoughts:
Elprida Gamba
I
used to walk all day or all night to get to a market and sell my
harvest, for very little money. I didn't even have enough money for
clothes or shoes. My children could never go to school. Now all my
children go to school. With this work, the women in our village have
been bringing a lot more money into the family.
Rebecca Ukuol
I
cannot read or write. I have three children less than 6 years. I used
to earn money by making beer and alcohol but now I do not have time to
do this. I wanted to do other work that did not mean I was to make
drinks. Now I can do things for my children. I want to build my own
home. I love my work and do it well.
Unia Singajoo
My
biggest dream is that all my grandchildren get an education, so that
they can get a good job and they can then look after me and I can rest
in a good home.
