About Us
Ah Shayh Natural Skin Care Company
Vision Statement
Ah Shayh is a collective owned and operated by women of color who are committed to maintaining a partnership with the Dagomba Women's Shea Nut Butter Collective in Tamale, Ghana (Africa).
The vision of the Ah Shayh team is to work with the Dagomba women and their families to provide necessary tools and resources for the production of shea butter. We are dedicated to bringing micro-credit, educational scholarships, and other resources to the women to aid the women and families of Ghana in becoming financially self-sufficient.
We will also work in collaboration with the chief of the village and local government towards the goal of eradicating poverty through access to education, economic opportunities, and support the women to become visible and vocal in their local governments.
History of Ah Shayh Collective
My inspiration for creating Ah Shayh came from a trip to Ghana in the summer of 2004 when I ventured into the city of Tamale, Ghana, one of the villages in the northern region where Shea Nut Butter is harvested and processed. My traveling companion was doing philanthropic work assisting African women in becoming more self reliant through commerce.
While in Tamale, I was introduced to a small group of women of the Dagomba ethnic group who reside in the Jesonaayili Village. In a meeting with these women, we discussed how I could work with them to form a Shea Nut Butter collective. The women were initially hesitant about working with an outsider but as I began to learn to speak their native language, the women began to open up and laugh at my attempts to speak their language. After spending several days with these women, they began to share their stories and we began to talk about the prospect of working together to form a collective. From this dialogue, the women’s collective was born.
The Shea Tree is an integral part of the Dagomba culture and livelihood. The women have traditionally used it in food production and for skin care, using it to help protect their skin against the harsh savanna sun.
Twice a year an Ah Shayh representative travels to Tamale Ghana to work side by side with the women to produce the shea butter. We also work collaboratively with the chief of the village and local government in eradicating poverty through access to education, economic opportunities and a voice in governing their lives.
Environmental Sustainability
Ah Shayh works collaboratively with the Dogomba women to ensure that the women and their families have enough Shea Nut Butter to sustain their every day needs. Shea Nut Butter is used for cooking, and as a skin protector from the hot Savannah sun and body moisturizer. The Shea Nut Tree is vital to the survival of the people because each and every part of the tree is used for some basic need, nothing is wasted.
Ah Shayh not only takes into consideration the needs of the people but the wildlife and other micro-organisms that make their home in the Savannah region. We will continue to maintain a respectful relationship with the earth so the ecosystem will continue to thrive.
Ah Shayh is member of Co-op America and subscribes to fair trade practices.
Natural Preservatives:
Ah Shayh uses only natural ingredients; the customer will not find synthetic ingredients or preservative in any of our products. The natural preservatives we use are, Vitamin E, Essential oil of Rosemary and Peppermint. (See GLOSSERY OF INGREDIENTS for more information)
Please be advised that our product(s) have a shelf life of 12 months. Store product(s) in cool environment and refrigerate any unused lotions and creams after 6 months.