Community Empowerment Projects
In January, 2006 we met with the school
directors and students of the Adjorogo primary
school, where we donated desks in 2004.

Alaffia welcomes visits and tours at our
facility in Olympia, WA, such as this tour
from a local seniors group.

We also speak on fair trade and community
empowerment at schools, colleges and
universities across the United States.

Our retail stores throughout the United
States are also an important part of the
Alaffia community.

We welcome visits from our retail buyers
to help them understand our philosophy,
mission, and products.

Alaffia strives to be an integral part of our communities in Washington state and in Togo, West Africa. Here are a few ways we participate:

Togo, West Africa

Alaffia/Agbanga Shea Butter Cooperative
The Alaffia/Agbanga Shea Butter Cooperative is an important part of the greater Sokode community. We provide stable, fair incomes to over 80 families. The Cooperative also provides medical care and other assistance when needed. Our members are proud to be able to use their indigenous knowledge to feed and cloth their families. One of our goals is for the cooperative to be a model for other groups and individuals in Togo and other West African nations to follow.

Community Enhancement Projects
Ten percent of our sales go directly to fund community enhancement projects in Togo. We have several projects, all of which serve to enhance community self reliance and sustainability. Please see the links to the left for more details on our community projects in central Togo.

Washington State, USA

Alaffia Global Community Scholarship
The Alaffia Global Community Scholarship is designed to assist low income high school seniors in Washington State obtain higher education degrees. See the Scholarship page for more information.

Soaps & Lotions for Local Shelters
Our community building activities in Washington also include donating soap and lotions to local women’s shelters. We believe everyone should have access to high quality body care products, especially those who are facing difficulties in their daily lives.

Visits to Alaffia
Alaffia is building our Washington community by providing regular visits to our production room, where we discuss Fair Trade and demonstrate how we make our soaps and lotions. On April 6th, we welcomed 42 elders from the Tacoma, Washington area for a tour of our facility. They participated in a demonstration of our cold processed shea butter soap and a talk about how they can help promote Fair trade practices in our communities.

Soap Making Classes
Alaffia teams with a local retailer, Radiance Herbs and Massage, to offer soap making classes at our facility several times a year. The next class will be offered late summer/early fall 2007. For more information please contact us.

Internships
Alaffia works with several schools and universities to provide internships for students interested in learning about fair trade. We currently work with students from Stanwood High School in Stanwood, WA; Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA; and Antioch University in Seattle, WA. For more information, please visit the Internships page.

Global Community

Alaffia Retailer Community
The retail stores that carry our products are also an important part of our global community. Many dedicated staff members are helping to spread our message and our values to their customers. There are also several stores that are working directly with us on our community enhancement projects, including the Fousena Fund, Hope through Health and Bicycles for Education. Our retail stores are vital for reaching communities and individuals beyond our own regions in Washington and Togo. Visit our retail store locator page to see if there is a store in your area.

Community Education & Outreach
One of our main goals is to educate others about empowerment through fair trade. We speak at high schools, colleges, universities and community centers about these topics and what we do. We have also taught classes at local high schools and universitites, including Stanwood High School, Tacoma School of the Arts, Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA, and the University of California, Davis. If you are interested in us visiting your school or organization, please contact us.