In July 2023, I visited the shea butter cooperative in Guinea (COPRAKAM) for the third time. It was very special. I will tell you why. For the last 2 years, I have traveled to Guinea during the month of January because it was the only time of year I was available. At this time, it is not possible to be present for the harvest which is a key stage of the shea production process. The harvest is the start of a long journey organized, orchestrated and calibrated by groups of women.
It takes place every year after the natural fall of the fruits of the tree, during the rainy season, between June and September. The women select the best fruits on the ground which will be used for shea production. It is the law of first come, first served. It is therefore essential that farmers and women's cooperatives are responsive and present at the right time. They start collecting early in the morning and have to deal with snakes and other animals who love the pulp of the shea fruit; sweet like mango and creamy like avocado. The shea fruit is also rich in nutrients and vitamins and helps solve the main malnutrition problems in the region by effectively nourishing children. That's why I absolutely wanted to experience it and decided to visit the local cooperative I work with in Guinea.
On Tuesday, July 11, I drove to the small town of Dabola, where the cooperative is located. The first step was to meet its president. Without her, I couldn't do anything. Greeting her was not only a sign of respect but also a way of asking her permission to participate in the harvest with the community. When I arrived, I was told that the president was returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca and that it was difficult to make an appointment with her. I was directed to her assistant, which was great because I already knew him and we got along really well. I knew I was in good hands. He immediately told me that we had to be patient because the women of the village were currently in Kankan – the 2nd Guinean city located on the Malian border. Kankan was a 4 hour drive from where I was and the women had planned to return on the weekend. As a result, I had to wait 4 days at the hotel which seemed endless...