Episode 23: Latifa's Organic Cosmetics Company in Ghana

In this episode, Tierney Paige Russell, HerStart Communications Fellow in Ghana, speaks with Latifa Ayinbota Atule, founder of Latty-H Soaps – a social enterprise that creates skin products using organic ingredients. Latifa discusses her goal of improving skin health and employing women in her community and how YCI's HerStart program supported her entrepreneurship journey. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Welcome to Youth Challenge Internationals Hair Start Hair Story podcast series. Youth Challenge International, O Y C I launched the Hair Start Innovate the Future Program in 2020 as part of our initiative to advance women's equality globally, our goal is to provide 10,000 women in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda with the resources and supports they need to successfully launch and grow their social businesses. We are sharing real stories of young women who are leading change in their communities. Y CI's Hair Start Innovate. The Future Program is funded in, passed by the government of Canada to progress Canada's feminist international assistance policy. Learn more@yci.org or hair.org. Today's podcast is hosted by attorney, a communications fellow with you Challenge Internationals Hair Start program in Boga, Ghana. She'll be speaking with Latifa ABA of LA h Soups, an organic cosmetics company. Latifa is a participant in the Hair Stats Grow Your Social Venture program. This program helps young women entrepreneurs grow their social and environmental impact through business skills, coaching, mentorship, and training. Latifa is also a recipient of Hair Stats Catalyst Fund. The funding provides women-led ventures with critical seed funding that can help them thrive. Latifa and Chineses conversations today is taking place at the Boga Technical University. Well, Latifa took part in the HESTA training program. Latifa starts off by sharing what inspired her to start a business in organic cosmetics.

Speaker 2: 2:08

I started this business because I was raised by a single mother, and so we needed to survive on something since she was a trader too, so I had to also find ways to help her take care of my younger ones so I can do my own production and then use it as a source of livelihood. That is what got me inspired. Did anyone help you start your business? I helped my mom sell at the market and then the small money she gives me as my feeding money, I saved it and then got some small amount, went to the market, bought some ingredients, and started the business. So it is from my own small, small savings I used to start help the business. What is the innovative aspect of your business? The innovative, uh, aspect of my business is that I produce organic, um, cosmetics, organic products. I use share butter. I use healthy, um, ingredients that are good for the skin, that are healthy for the skin, not like the inorganic products in the, uh, market. So that makes my business an innovative one because I produce quality and healthy products. How did you come up with the idea for your business? Once I started the business in my community, people started patronizing and, uh, giving out good resource about it. So I continued till now. What motivated you to come into the business? Did you find a gap in the field of business or a need in the community? The thing that motivated me in this business was, um, most of the cosmetics were not organic in my community, and so people in the community have a problem of, um, some skin, uh, diseases or bleaching skin. So I decided to go into the production of organic cosmetics to solve that problem. Yeah, so that is what's motivated me because inorganic highly purchase of inorganic cosmetics in the, in the community made me to think of using what we have, which is, um, the organic essentials to produce good, um, cosmetics to solve that problem. What is your plan for your business now? The plan I have for my business is to expand the business, uh, to make it grow into a bigger company, cosmetic company in the future. Who do you want your business to benefit? I want my business to benefit people who are struggling with skin issues so that they'll be able to taste good organic cosmetics as well as in expanding my business. I'll be able to employ more videos that will help reduce rural urban migration. How has her start helped your journey? Hair Startts have been helpful throughout this my business journey because I only knew how to produce, but through Hair Startts, I was able to get the training on how to make my business and innovative. One, I learned on how to do more research to make my business, um, grow. In fact, the knowledge has start gave me from how I started. There's a huge difference because now I'm into the market and I I know how to manage my finances, know how to deal with my customers. So in fact, headstart has really helped me in this journey. Yes. What aspect of your business has come easily to you in the production? It was easy because I, I was working with somebody who already knew the skill, so I was helping her. So for the skill, I was perfect with the skill, but selling my products to the market wasn't easy. Like, so I had to learn on how to sell my products. Have you found any outside factors to be particularly difficult with starting your business? Any challenges or difficulties? Yes. Um, the challenge I have is the inflation because most of the organic products I use in my production, their prices have been increased. So I think the inflation has a big bigger effect on my business and my production. Yes. What are the long-term goals for your business? What I hope to achieve in this, my business is to become a big business woman. I want to be the c e o of a cos uh, organic cosmetic company in the, in bogo Tanga, the Upper East region, the biggest organic cosmetic company. That is my dream for my business, and so as my business grow, I'll be able to employ more and more women, and so I'll help reduce the unemployment rate of widows or women in my community or in the region. What has stood out to you the most with the Her Start program and what might you say to people who are interested in getting involved? What I would say is that the Training Hair Start program has given to me. It has brought my business to another level. More research being done, more innovative researchers. In fact, I would tell my colleagues to also try and take part to be able to do a business not only to gain profit, but to solve a community problem.

Speaker 3: 9:32

Thanks

Speaker 1: 9:32

For joining us today and learning about how you Challenge International has partnered with young women to advance gender equality globally and create a social entrepreneurship ecosystem with the positive impact for all. If you enjoy this hair, start innovate the Future podcast episode. Please subscribe and share our episodes on social media. A special thanks to the fellows that volunteered their time in Ghana, Tanzania, and Uganda, who helped create these episodes. Y CIS Hair Innovate. The Future and Fellowship programs are funded through the government of Canada's volunteer corporation program, providing skilled Canadians opportunities to volunteer with global partners and advance Canada's feminist international assistance policy. Join us in thousands of young people around the globe, creating a better future together. Learn more@yci.org or heads.org.