In 2018 our founder Khadijah visited Ghana for the first time and fell in love with the country. As a socialpreneur and an ambassador for fair trade, her visit to Ghana opened her eyes to the hardworking women of the shea butter industry and the inequities they face. Khadijah loves Shea butter , and has been using it since she was a child. Being at the source of the product, she was intrigued and wanted to know more of the production, and import/ exporting  process. Through her research it sparked a desire for her to want to get to know the women behind the products, and to empower other women producers of natural beauty products in other countries in Africa.

Khadijah started importing shea butter  from Ghana in 2019, and Ankara Beauty was born. Soon after she found a woman owned cooperative in Morocco to import rose water, argan oil and ghoussal clay. 

Through the sale of Ankara Beauty products, and garnering support from family and friends, Khadijah has been able to contribute to the building of a school in the Northern region of Ghana for the Shea Queens children, gift the children of Savelugu with shoes and school supplies, as well as begin the production of a documentary entitled “The Business Of Shea”™️