The Shea Shop

At The Shea Shop, our mission is two-fold; to bring Nilotica Shea to more people and do good in Northern Ugandan communities. We were founded in 2012 with the goal of introducing the world to the ultra-moisturizing and super healing powers of East Africa’s Shea Butter, Shea Nilotica.

The Shea Shop has deep roots in Uganda.  We share a passion for restoring and rebuilding Northern Uganda after a 20-year period of suffering from civil war. It is a continual source of great pride that we are providing an honest and fair livelihood to this region through a women’s cooperative.

After the war, many families were seeking income and stability, and the region saw Shea Nilotica trees, long prized for their healing properties, being cut down for firewood.  This important environmental resource is a key to the economic livelihood and sustainability of a whole region.

At The Shea Shop, we work with local communities to harvest shea nuts in a way that ensures this resource will be around a long, long time. We’ve also been involved in local policy, supporting protective regulations of this resource and keeping our Shea Nilotica thriving. Our Shea Nilotica nuts are wild-harvested, certified-organic, and produced by the very women displaced from their homes and livelihoods due to the civil war.

The Shea Shop pays Nilotica Shea collectors a fair wage that is four times higher than the average salary in West Africa. The women study the preservation of the local environment and the drying and storage of Shea nuts. We also promote financial empowerment through education programs about saving and investing earnings.