What was the initiative? 

Aissa’s initiative focused on women’s economic empowerment and leadership in Northern Ghana by working with women’s groups engaged in rural livelihoods. Initially working with the Bongo-Soe Shea Pickers and Processors Association, the project later expanded to four communities through partnerships with the Widows and Orphans Movement (WOM) and the Anglican Development Relief Organization (ADRO). Aissa facilitated business planning, skills training, and asset mapping, supporting women to enhance financial literacy, leadership, and income generation. Workshops covered by bookkeeping and income generating activities such as tie-dye production, capacity for which spread within one community. The initiative ultimately sought to increase women’s leadership, financial independence, and solidarity.   

What was the community connection? 

Aissa’s Master’s research sought indicators of how shea butter production contributed to women’s empowerment. She primarily worked with the Ojoba Cooperative and learned about its democratic and inclusive mandates that promote women’s educational opportunities. The women of the co-op shared the process of production, as well as their feelings of economic and social empowerment within the co-op. This experience became the foundation of Aissa’s initiative.  

How was it innovative? 

Aissa’s initiative was innovative in its participatory and asset-based approach to women’s economic empowerment. Rather than imposing external solutions, Aissa focused on helping women identify and leverage their existing skills and resources through asset-mapping and participatory business planning. The initiative also introduced interactive, non-traditional training methods, moving away from the conventional NGO ‘stand and lecture’ model to more engaging and hands-on workshops, such as bookkeeping using the Leaky Bucket tool and tie-dye skills training. Additionally, Aissa’s flexibility in adapting to cultural and seasonal realities, such as adjusting schedules around farming and funeral seasons, ensured deeper community engagement. By prioritizing local leadership and knowledge-sharing, the initiative empowered women to drive their own progress, fostering long-term sustainability.  

What is Aissa doing now?  

Aissa currently works as a Project Manager for the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy. In this role, she is leading the CFFP’s work on Feminist International Cooperation and Development Policy, drawing on her interests in approaches to decolonising international development, intersectional feminist leadership, disability justice, anti-racism, unpaid care work, and gender-just economies.