The heart of our mission
At Saleton International, our story is deeply intertwined with our mission to combat poverty and our vision to empower rural communities in Africa. With our core values guiding us, we are committed to making a meaningful and sustainable difference in the lives of those who need it the most.
Through statistical analysis and heartfelt consideration, we recognized that rural women, and their children, bear the brunt of poverty’s burden. To focus our efforts on alleviating their plight, we identified a product that possessed commercial value and was abundant in areas with a high density of vulnerable women – Shea Butter.
Five Points Agenda
At Saleton, our core focus revolves around the empowerment of individuals and communities through targeted efforts in various areas:
Poverty Alleviation:
By providing access to resources, vocational training, and support systems, we strive to break the cycle of poverty and improve the quality of life for those in need.
Through our Shea business, over 2000 trained women participate in Shea Butter production through the Women Foundation for Shea Butter Making Skills, WOFSHEAMS, increasing their daily income and creating a multiplier effect for sustainable poverty alleviation.
Reduction of Unemployment
Through our dedication to job creation, skills development, and entrepreneurship support, we aim to reduce unemployment and enable individuals to secure stable livelihoods through the production of Shea butter in various communities, thereby fostering economic independence and self-sufficiency.
WATH supervised Shea training for women, Kuje, Abuja, Nigeria (June 2009)
In the picture above, Dr. Peter Lovett, the world-renowned Shea Expert poses with WOFSHEAMS Shea women in Kuje, Abuja, Nigeria after one of their training sessions. Squatting first from left is Salome Ihedirionye, Founder and President, Women Foundation for Shea Butter Making Skills (WOFSHEAMS) and Vice President, Saleton International LLC
WOFSHEAMS women wearing aprons and caps during production sessions after being trained.
Promotion of Rural Development
Empowering rural communities is a key aspect of our mission. By investing in infrastructure, essential services, and agricultural advancements, we hope to promote the growth and prosperity of rural areas. As our business expands, we aim at attracting community development projects like Solar Power supply, road construction, and particularly borehole sinking that will provide constant water supply for Shea Butter Production and accessibility to drinking water.
Promotion of Rural Development
Empowering rural communities is a key aspect of our mission. By investing in infrastructure, essential services, and agricultural advancements, we hope to promote the growth and prosperity of rural areas. As our business expands, we aim at attracting community development projects like Solar Power supply, road construction, and particularly borehole sinking that will provide constant water supply for Shea Butter Production and accessibility to drinking water.
Promotion of Fair Trade
Fair trade practices lie at the heart of our initiatives. We ensure that marginalized producers receive fair compensation for their products, fostering sustainable economic growth and empowering vulnerable communities.
At Saleton, we practice fair trade principle by purchasing Shea Nuts from WORSHEAMS women at fair trade rates, thereby benefiting them directly.
Reduction of Illiteracy
Education is a fundamental pillar of empowerment. Through our business, increased income in rural communities, especially among women, enables better affordability of school fees. This supports access to quality education and literacy programs and will also help the women nurture their children to make informed decisions for themselves and their communities.