What is the value of A PUSH? - Upfield and Fuji Oil's collaboration on the Shea Sustainability Project

I'll start with 2 questions. What is the impact of the collective? If you pushed with more hands, could you guarantee more impact? - A story of effective collaboration.

Last month, I had a really remarkable experience in Ghana, during the launch of the third phase of the Upfield Shea Sustainability Project. In phase 1 & 2 we collaborated with Eco Restore, a landscape restoration firm, to nurse 6,000 shea and other indegenous trees to maturity and planted them in June this year across 4 communities in Ghana - Gbimsi, Tinguri, Sadaafong and Sayoo. We are working with 150 farmers through Eco Restore, training them on survival monitoring and have so far received great cooperation from the farmers and communities.

The third phase launch took place in Ghana last month, featuring capacity development through business and other trainings, the provision of access to pre-financing, the donation of personal protective equipment and a 100 tons warehouse for storing shea kernels to serve 1,000 women shea collectors in Bongbini, who are members of a cooperative jointly set up by the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), Fuji Oil Ghana and Upfield. This third phase is a collaboration between Upfield and Fuji Oil Ghana's Temba Kandu Project - Temba Kandu means 'Push me, and I will climb'- and this is why we have come together to push with all hands on deck to get these women from where they are to where they desire to be, helping them realise that their dreams are not only valid but achievable, given the right support.

In the words of my MD, Bamidele Moses Amao, 'There is an indisputable return in strengthening women in society not necessarily for themselves alone, but for the larger good of the entire community and the country's economy".

It's been no small honour and privilege to be part of these women's stories. Doing this alongside our partners allows each partner bring their knowledge and expertise to bear, helping us make more miles! The women's commitment to this project and their testimonies affirm to me daily that no action is too small, and if we put our heads and hands together, we can push the mountains as far as we want. We can say to the mountains - 'be ye removed and cast into the sea' and they will obey! (mountains in this context being the challenges we want to surmount with regards to social and environmental impact).

I'll close with another question. 'Who are you pushing with?'. We will always be better together!