One Man Empowered 10,000 Women In Ghana 🇬🇭

You know, most of the world they're talking about a crow, but there's so much more to Ghana than a crow. [singing] >> When you hear the name Ghana, the first place that comes into your mind is Ara, which is our capital city. But Ghana is made up of [music] 16 different regions and I believe that each and every region got something unique to offer. Hence the reason why I am taking you on a journey to the north. [music] And >> so when we came here to the north, I was like, "Wow, these people are smiling. They're peaceful. They're friendly. [music] >> But I really want to know. Yeah. Is this the happiest region in Ghana? [music] I found myself in here. I was happily infected. And I'm not even complaining. >> [music] >> So the big question is why am I here? Let me explain. So I found an African born in Togo currently investing and empowering over 10,000 women in a country where I was born. Currently, how many women are you empowering? >> The direct employment in upper east region of Ghana in the north. We have 6,000 women that weaving baskets as you can see. And we're working toward 10,000. That's direct employment. Imagine each of those women have a family that depends on them. >> Wow. >> So, we're talking about quarter million. >> Wow. >> Of direct empowerment. >> That is different from the share butter. >> That's different. And for the shared nuts, we have 1,451 women. They collect shared nuts. And then we have a center that turned the sheer nut into sheer butter. And there we have 160 women. This is why I am here to celebrate him. [music] >> [music] >> I am from [music] Cape Town to Somalia. [music] >> You see in Africa when you see project this mega, [music] you might think that there is a white person behind it. But no, this is owned by an African. [cheering] >> He is a village boy. >> You're a village boy. >> I'm still a village boy. So we're farmers. That's how life was. Working the farm, growing beans, growing peppers to sell in the market. And by sixth grade, like all of us typically do in the village, drop out of school. After that, I didn't I I helped my mother in the farm. That was the reason to drop out. >> He lived the village life. How was life when you're growing up in the village? >> Life in a village. I always said that is like a a typical West African market. Is noisy. Is it chaotic? But within there's an order. My father has 42 children and my mother has eight children. That's how life was. >> Left the village to the west. And then I met a lady and I end up in the state and I end I I end up going back to a community college and end up at the university where I studied capitalism and I got to understand that the world is against Africa economically. returned to empower the village by establishing a mega share butter factory. [music] And then I went on to learn about colonization and [music] neocolonialism. And I looked everything that has been done in Africa and I thought that me as a son of Africa coming from Togo, what would I do? And when I look my mother that never set foot in school, >> I thought then she matters. She's a person, a human being that matters, but she has skills. Not because she didn't go to a western school that she doesn't have anything to offer. So that got me to start thinking maybe we got to do something a little bit different. Maybe we need to use our traditional ways of life and bring that to sell to the world as opposed to trying to adopt the western world and somehow get our poverty out of it. I'm not saying that's not the way but I I felt that we got to find a different way because it's not working. Our people are suffering. So 20 years ago I decided that we can form our woman to use the traditional knowledge that that we have and mobilize them. If it's a sheer butter, if it's a basket weaving, whatever is traditional that we know that we don't need to go to western school and then bring that to the west and bring the money back home so that we can reinforce our own communities and build next future. What an incredible guy, man. All what I can tell you is [music] how it was for me when I was growing up. >> We didn't have a place that my mother can go work and earn a fair income. >> Okay? >> We didn't have a place where my mother can go sell the share nuts that she collect and have a fair income. >> Okay? So the difference is is about fair income for our traditional contribution to the world. So now that different translate to something meaningful, ability to have food, >> ability to have gender equality mean that I as a woman can provide for myself. ability to be able to send your own child to school and most critical thing that keep all of us alive is health. Ability to take care of our own health. >> We always use the shata money to go and farm. Sometimes we use it to send our children to hospital and we use it to buy books for our children. And the way you come and buy and we are happy and we like what you are doing. So I'll doing that. There is no work here unless the farming and then the share butter selling that we are doing. >> You're saying that the only work in the community, the big community here is only food farming >> and the sh >> and share butter or share nets. >> Yes. >> I think it's empowerment because um if they not doing this what would they be doing? So I believe that this is a second chance in life man to make money for yourself, take care of yourself and the family cuz it's not just you because these are women, they have children, they have husbands. So it's about time yeah for them to take care of their families and a big shout out to for making that possible man is life in my native language. Aya life has become synchronized mean life in balance. Yeah. >> I think the biggest part too is that he's not having the people change their culture. So everything that they're doing is something that's been passed down for tradition from time from generation to generation and now just pointing a light in the US in the west to buy full circle and also they keep their dignity and knowing that they have value. about 23 years ago at the age of 22 decided that African knowledge must be the reason the path for African future [music] >> and that means to use back to my mother >> that we can use our traditional method as you see behind you all around you to have a product that we can sell to the world that come from our tradition And then we can use the funds [music] from that to put back into our communities so that the next generations like myself dropping out of sixth grade at school will not drop out drop out otherwise. >> You know what you need to do for me? We're on a journey to take this channel to 3 million [music] subscribers. Have you subscribed yet? Are you new to the channel? Join the best African family on YouTube. >> This [laughter] This is the craziest thing has ever happened, man. >> See, she asked what if my hair comes like this or did I spray it like dye it to be this way. >> Mhm. >> I told her I dyed it. And what you show me? Show me. >> I don't know how to God dyed it for me. >> GOD DYED YOUR OWN. [laughter] BUT I'M even super excited to be going on this particular mission with my biggest inspiration on YouTube. Literally, this is the man who inspired me to be on this particular journey, my brother. The first time I met him, I was shaking, man. I I couldn't even interview him because this is the guy that I I look up to. I mean, he inspires me a lot. And guess what? The day he tested me that, "Yo, where are you? I'm on my way to the airport. just come and meet me. I'm like, "Yo, I'm from the village, man. I'm in the village that time." I I did like 2:00 a.m. >> I was on my way from Takari to Ara just to meet him. You know, I I was stuck in my room way back in 2017 and I started watching YouTube videos and your videos popped up and guess what? I'm like, I want to be like that brother, man. But, you know, the kind of travel that he does, I'm like, I can't afford, man. [laughter] Oh, and you can't create something like this without being worldly. It's beyond money. But yeah, you won't really catch anyone here without it, though. The experience is unforgettable and that's the way you should be living life. I can't I can't afford, but I am going to go back home and I'm going to do a low budget travel. >> Guess what? Here we are today. Let's go, baby. But is it not even more beautiful knowing that where we staying is owned by a fan? >> And um you're the one behind this. How long did it take you to build this place? >> Yeah, we started at 2014 and then we we break for a while and then we pick it up in 2019. [music] So I think completion was this 2023. I made my mind that we have to put it in the good standard. So when people come they will enjoy really enjoy ba. >> Yeah. >> She's a fan. [music] That's why I have to do this for her. >> Yeah. I said when you were in China >> when you were in bars when you started doing your videos in the host and they were laughing at you. I saw all that. So when I saw your crew yesterday I said I know you somewhere. I was so excited. I quickly called my husband. I said my man is here. [laughter] >> It's a pleasure to be here. >> [music] >> You know what? Come along with us. We're just going to have a very busy day. I don't know what's going to come out, but whatever happens, I will let you know. [music] And on our way to the village, we encountered our first major problem. We literally got stuck in the mud. >> We've been here for more than 30 minutes. It means with an ambulance or with a smaller car with a pregnant woman, they would be stuck in this for a longer time. >> The sick woman would be in the car at this time. This pressure on the car could induce forc labor. >> How does this work? If you're if someone's pregnant in the car right now, >> they're likely dead by now. >> What I'm seeking for is our area here. There's no shift compound. There's no clinic. So for that one, you are suffering. If anybody is sick or the person is on labor, we have to send a person down there [music] and it's far. There's no car. I personally love exploring Ghana beyond Acra, but I weep for this country when I leave the capital city because it seems like we're building our country as if the entire country is just a cra because I personally don't understand why ballot boxes always make it to this part of the country on time, but basic amenities like water, electricity, clinics barely make it up here. Sometimes we can have three women in labor where you have to keep one outside. >> Deliver the baby outside. >> Yes. Sometimes we do deliver them outside on the bed here. That means that the space is not enough. So you want to create room for the baby to come out. >> But it's when there's a problem with the baby, baby cannot breathe well or something. Then you separate the baby, put the baby here, you work on the baby. Afterwards, you bring the baby back to the mother. But if you need to refer or baby needs a warmer and oxygen, then we put the baby here. >> Mhm. for the heat. Then we apply the oxygen. But currently the oxygen is not in use. The warmer is not in use. >> Our communities [music] really deserve better and it's about time. [music] >> So my brother, we're at a special place. I know we're in nature, but I know we have something super special today. Some super special for you. Ah, but can you explain to us where are we right now? What's the area and why are you bringing us here? >> Well, I'll tell you what's the area. We're in Africa first of all. >> Hello. [music] >> And this area is upper east. >> Okay. >> And we're in the village of Sugu. And what we see here all around us is she trees. >> Oh, >> nowhere else in the world she trees grow. Look that she tree. That shia tree that shia tree and shia tree is called life. So where we are today aa has what we call a village that all my brothers and sisters come to witness and to see our woman >> using the century of century age [music] way of doing things. That is how do we make sherb traditionally. Okay. [music] I really want to know. Yeah. Who made us believe that she butter is literally for poor people? Because when I was growing up in Ghana, she butter was my only lotion because we were poor and that was the only lotion that we could afford. But did you know the share butter industry in the global market worth $4.1 billion? So if that is the worth of share butter in the global market, then let me ask a thoughtprovoking question. How are the people from our villages benefiting from this mega billion dollar industry? Whenever you find yourself in the northern part of Ghana, there is one tree that is so common in the entire region and that is the shenut tree. Look at my background. Every single tree that you see is a shut tree. And guess what? I thought it's more like a plantation that people do it, but apparently it's free for everyone. I just want to know. Yeah. Do you guys have a plantation for share nuts or it just grow it by itself? >> Just recently our company is trying to plant the grow the seeds and then we will find a place and plant it. >> But everywhere you go in this region has the what >> the sher Actually what we do is that we have cooperatives in the villages where we are form the group women's into groups then train them on how to pick the sheer nut in organic way when I say organic means we pick the nuts in such that they are not contempl Is this where you guys keep your raw materials? >> Yes, this is the raw material warehouse. >> Okay. So, you you buy the raw materials from the villages. >> Yes. >> So, even when it's out of season, you still have >> have enough place. Yes. >> [cheering] >> I love the fact that they hype me up. So even though I'm tired, when I hear the sounds that are coming out, I'm like, I need to keep going. You will never get tired. >> This is what women empowerment looks like. Giving them craft, allowing them a skill, and then allowing them to make something beautiful. This is what we need. It's each one teach one with those who have given m much much is required and this is our responsibility. >> Okay. >> Wow. >> It feels like a therapy >> cuz your feet, your fingers, all all of them are literally enjoying. But the thing is like if you have never done this before, don't try it at home because you got to have a good rest because all the time you have to bend. I I just feel like I just did a morning workout like gym. >> Yes. Like you see >> like I'm sweating. Can you see? >> So when I came in here they were washing the sh and I'm like what a best way to join them to wash. And guess what? After all that music and dance while I was washing, we had to now carry [applause] [cheering] no. Basically, the sha will be here for 2 days depending on the weather. So, if the sun shines the entire day, 2 days is enough. But if you have a little bit of rain droplet, it's going to take you 3 days. [music] >> I can't speak your eyes. You see that? I can't see properly. Sweat in my eye. Don't say I never worked in Ghana. It's not just champagne. [laughter] [music] >> Yes. Yes. >> So there's So there's seven steps. How long does it take to go [music] from that to that in the >> So from this nut at this end to start from here to get all the way doing all of these steps to here? 24 hours the traditional way. >> Hey, so how many of your girlfriends or people that you know would know this process? >> Back over. >> None. >> Yeah. No. >> How many of your friends would want to come and see the process? >> All of them. >> Who you going to bring? >> All of them. [music] >> I'm actually trying to show you the process from nuts to your share butter. So this is actually the crusher unit where after drying up they need to bring it to a machine. So come close. So they pour the nut into ah out of the crashing, you come and roast it in here. So that's what I'm about to do. So this is the roasting area. I I love the fact that it's now mechanized. You know, this is the difference between the local way of making things and empowering the local so that they can produce more. One of the things that I really appreciate about Aya is the fact that the health of the women working in here is their pity. So if you can see the women working in here, they all have the gears for their eyes and their nose. >> [applause] >> What made [music] you bring such an innovative idea to Ghana? >> It's not that brought the idea to Ghana. And in reality, there's no Ghana. There's no Togo. In my view, and when when you step outside Africa, you begin to see that we're all African. >> Yep. And if one place in Africa is been oppressed, all of us have been oppressed. So what I'm trying to say is that I believe in penanism. I know that I cannot reduce all the poverty in the world. But what I know I can do is demonstrate a model that the future generations can follow that there is a way for a young African man that somehow we belong to the world market in our own terms. [music] This is one of the models. >> That is [music] one of the models. Yes. >> And how long has this been in existence? >> We It took us two years to to build this place and there's 20 hectares land as you can see all around you. And we you can also see that with Aaya here we have is built in a traditional setting. The last seven months we start here making sheer butter and then with that sheer butter we take it to to all the way to Ara and then we in the eastern region KD we'll make soap into black soap all in Ghana and then bring it back to Ara to make finished product and then ship it to us for the shelf before the money comes back to Ghana and Togo right as I speak for the first time in ever we are making 100% I won't even say ganime me upend me. >> I love that. A round of applause for a round of applause. >> Thank you. [music] >> So after stirring it for hours, they need to leave it for 24 hours. Right after 24 hours, they have to what? Now scoop it into a rubber when they put in the box. >> They put it in the box for another 24 hours. This is where your sheer batter comes from. from I've talked to many of the women. I first came here about 6 months ago and they were telling me we didn't have consistent income. Okay, we might sell one basket or someone's trying to pay us underpric for our work. Now they have a standard price for everything that they do. Me I tried to do this and >> you failed. [laughter] >> It was disaster. put >> at the first if the you don't weave you can't get food you can't get food to eat food is problem but the the money if you are that that we are weaving the money if the money come we use the money for paying our children's food fees and second we use the money to buy our clothes food and everything you want >> and there's no machine in here it's just the hands which shows is that Africans are super creative. How much do you weigh? >> Do I even know? 75. >> 75. I promise you this bag can pick you. So, >> I sure this one can carry me. >> HEY, [screaming] [screaming] WOW. SEE, the basket can carry me and it's still okay. Look at that. >> What does that say? Aya basket. What else? Edna. The person made by Edna. Oh, the name of the person who made it is in there. >> My name is Edna. The time that we start a basket weaving. That time we couldn't get money to do our home choice. But now we can leave and get money and buy our home choice. Even our children go to school nowadays. We can pay the school fees. You >> can see each basket custom. So you can trace it back to where it's been built. >> So beautiful, man. Listen, it's about time for us to empower our own people. This an African empowering Africans. This is crazy, man. Like I'm so inspired with what this guy is doing in here. And I feel like as soon as I leave in here, I should also go out there to do something in order to touch thousands of lives like this one. I remember yesterday you said I'm from Ghana and I've never seen this in Ghana myself. >> See the reason why I said that is the fact that the guy who is behind this project is from Togo and he is in Ghana to do a project like this. So first of all he believes in the ideologies of enruma which [music] makes him a panafrican and this is what we call the African dream. It's about time for Africans to move from one African country to invest in another African country. So literally why I'm saying that I've never seen anything like this before. This is like 10,000 women being empowered in a country that I am from and the guy who is empowering them is from Neeso. And I'm like, you know what? This is beautiful. This is more like taking people out of poverty in your own way. We have to be pragmatic as Africans. We need to stop talking about, oh, we have to do this. This guy's on the ground doing it. So, if you ever feel like getting a butter, reach out [music] to us and we're going to deliver at your doorstep. [music] So we're here in Boga with my sister Brenda Wer and the reason that we're here my big brother Big O tell them why >> I'm not big [laughter] the real big people is what you do for the community. That's what define how good you are. Amen. >> When I was a kid, I grew up in a village called Cababal in Togo. And we have to go down the stream to get water. And from there, I learned that water is not just a necessity to be alive. >> Mhm. >> It takes all your time. Now, we're in Northern Ghana because all Africa is together >> and we're open a water well that will give [music] 400,000 people water. And I learned that from when where I started. So that can only happen because you have to sell a product and the product we sell is called aya and that the ingredients come from here. So something has to come from here. Hey [music] my happening. [music] >> Oh little kid. >> [music] >> I [music] got >> [music] [music] >> Love you. [music] [music] Heat. [music] Heat. [music] [music] >> [music] >> So I just want I know everyone is getting praised [music] but one big thing I know from from time last night people are working overnight that maybe are not getting the credit that they deserve. I know you're here from morning to make sure that this happens on time. So I just want to say thank you to everyone and I truly appreciate you. Thank you. [music] >> Let's see if the water comes out. >> Feed the water. Wow. You have to pour some on the ground first. Yes. Yes. >> [music] >> You got to bless your man right here too. Here >> for me. >> Yes. You got get blessed. >> There's water. Very happy, man. >> Water is life. >> Water is life. Not >> for me now for you. The water is sweet. [laughter] >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. [music] >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. What do you look at? How do >> you feel after tasting the water? >> I feel refreshed. I feel alive, man. >> You feel alive. I feel alive. >> This is something that did not exist that you brought it in here. I mean, how does that make you feel? >> It makes me feel honored. Like, it makes me feel honored. I feel grateful. And it makes me want to do more cuz I know water is life. When you go so many different places, sometimes you need a different perspective on life to understand [music] life. And I understand what water means to this community. So I just feel pride. >> This is a thousand people living in a community that they had to you know walk far away miles away just to get water and just within how many minutes does it have to take you all to get water? >> Actually before this people used to spend 30 minutes some even try even 45 minutes sometimes an hour because you get there it's too crowded and you need to spend an hour sometime more than an hour to get water >> just to get water. >> Yes. Yes. And how long is it going to take you guys now in order to get water? >> It just some 5 minutes some 15 minutes from the school block to this place and 5 minutes. You're okay. >> How does that make you feel after hearing that? >> I just like I said I feel so honored that [music] you know you can put in work and then you can bless someone else and you know now the children are going to be able to go to school easier. People are going to be able to work easier. Every life is easier. That is what you want for your brothers and your sisters. So I just feel like I'm helping my family >> and that's how it's supposed to be. >> The passport heavy that we all know is that man who sit on yach is that [laughter] is that man who always talk about private jet is that man who always use a business class. I mean this is like going back to your roots. >> Yes. >> And this is something unique. Uh are we going to see a different passport heavy now? >> Uh you'll see just a more balanced passport heavy. This has been in my spirit. My brother here he helped awaken that spirit. spirit even more. But it's been here. I've been helping people in different ways. But here on the continent, it's because of my brother. He's helped me to see more. [music] [music] All right. So guys, we are here. We are going to be planting the Maya tree, right? What are we doing? >> We'll plant the tree. >> We'll plant the tree together. And what's your responsibility for the tree? >> And you'll use the water from the well to water this tree. Yep. So when we return, we'll come back and you will show us what this tree we've named it Maya. How this tree has grown using the water that Jabriel has blessed the community with. Yeah. All right. So tonight, now we'll plant together. >> The Maya tree. >> We are planting the Maya. >> Yes. Maya. EVERYBODY SAY [screaming] >> I have to go in there. >> No, you can you can >> This is the first of many. We want to encourage the youth to take care of the community to plant and grow because with one each one teaches one. It's so incredibly important and we must in inspire and empower the youth. >> Yep. Good. The butterc. >> Yes. >> Wow. Yeah. >> I thought you had something in your eye. >> No, I didn't. >> What happened? Um it was it was very emotionally um overwhelming and to see this community empowering women, empowering them to be independent, to have their dignity, to have a space that they can call their own that they can craft is it was just so incredibly overwhelming because I know what it means. I know what it means for them. I know what it means for [music] their future. I know what it means for society. And so to see this, to see what IA really is and all the things that we're supporting was very overwhelming to see because it's something that I truly truly want to see in the world and to see it happening and on such a scale so well organized is so incredibly beautiful and I'm just honored to be playing such a small part. The main thing that my parents instilled in me was to make sure that the opportunity that was given to me that I extended to other people. [music] So my heart has always been to gain knowledge, to gain experience, and to come back and invest in the communities that I know need my help. So I think that's why it's so emotional for me to see it happening and to see what an impact this center and all the centers like it have on the community because if the women are taken care of, the women are empowered, the community advances forward. >> [music] >> So, Aya is here twister. And listen, I I [music] I've not been paid to say this, but I want to be the official ambassador for a product like this. So, you know how we do it. I'm not coming here to beg you. Like I said, it's a revolution for Africans to start supporting Africans. So, [music] you know what? You're diaspora. You love my videos. You want to give back to the community. Go to that. Where can they get it? Amazon or where? >> They could go to Amazon. They can go to aa.com. A ya. A y >> Mhm. >> E y a. That's it. I'm out. [music] Jesus [singing] is ever.