Brianna Darling
Wedge Community Co-op’s
Outreach and Event Planning Coordinator

Alaffia is a fair-trade company based in Togo that uses traditional methods to harvest and process shea butter and coconut oil. Wednesday, March 30 was a day to remember for many Wedge staff and owners. We were honored to have a special visit from Olow-n’djo Tchala (co-founder of Alaffia) and three inspirational female leaders (Abidé Awesso, Mawulé Houmey, and Ahoumondom Bamassi) from Alaffia’s Togo cooperatives.

Staff from our Health and Body Care and Marketing teams joined other retailers early in the day for a lunch and training. It was a true pleasure to enjoy the traditional Togo meal the women prepared for us (they started cooking at 4 am!). Later that evening we hosted our Togolese friends for a local and seasonal meal at the Wedge Table served by our Catering department. Even with the language barrier, we had a great time—smiles and laughter are universal.

Following dinner, 125 guests came to hear the stories behind Alaffia’s amazing body care products. We learned about the community initiatives made possible by the company and how they are changing lives. In fact, we learned the good work Alaffia does indirectly impacts one-fifth of the population of the entire country of Togo.

Olowo-n’djo’s charisma and the ladies’ strength, expertise, and drive left us in awe and full of hope.

While we likely won’t be seeing Olowo-n’djo and the ladies of Togo at the Wedge again for a few years,we look forward to continuing to support their work through having their products in the store. By purchasing their products you’re impacting livelihoods.