Olowo-n'djo's Blog

Alaffia on CNN African Voices: Changemakers

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

As many of you may already know, Alaffia was recently featured on CNN International in a segment called African Voices: Changemakers. It is such an honor to be recognized for the change that we’re establishing in West Africa and to be given this recent springboard to further illuminate our work ...

Togo Gets An Agricultural Reboot - Reforestation Project

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

As you well know, a main impetus of Alaffia’s beginning was when I met Rose in the 90’s as she was serving my hometown as a sustainable agriculture volunteer in the Peace Corps. As fate would have it, we became partners in both life and business. Her wisdom of ethnobotany, the study of the relati...

Baby Alaffia

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

Abide, a midwife who served the women in our Maternal Health Empowerment Project, was riding her motorcycle and came across a young woman, Hodalo, on the side of the road who was distressed and in pain. Hodalo was in labor and had been personally affected by FGM earlier in her life, which can mak...

What Happens In Togo: Agbavi Beach

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

Agbavi Beach in Togo, West Africa holds a special place for me because it was where my mother, Ina, and I shared our last stroll on the beach together before she became too ill to walk. It was a kind of magical place for both of us to regroup, plan and reminiscence about how far we’d come with ou...

The Legacy of Chadwick Boseman

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

Trying to process the magnitude of the loss of Chadwick Boseman and the collective outpouring of sadness is to not only realize his immense talent but also what he came to represent to so many. Chadwick’s performance of T’Challa in “Black Panther” contained such deep levels of humanity, humility,...

Much More Than a Basket

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

There’s more than meets the eye with our Alaffia Authentic African Handwoven Baskets. Weaving the baskets is highly collaborative with multiple co-op and collective partners. Baskets are woven with wild-harvested Savannah grass—panicum or elephant grass—from the Blitta collective in Togo. Grass c...

I Am A Dreamer

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

It's my great honor to be part of the IconTalks documentary “I Am A Dreamer,” an exploration of history, social justice and economic empowerment. In partnership with the Motion Picture Association, the powerful film features commentary from a group of esteemed leaders and activists, such as the l...

Togelese Cuisine Family Recipes

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

It’s my joy to cook and share Togolese cuisine made from recipes passed down by my mother, Ina. I've made these recipes for people far and wide, including for many of our amazing retail partners. I’ve had so many requests about how to make these sauces that I'm considering an Alaffia cookbook! My...

Spend for Good

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

"Producers’ cooperatives are an essential lifeline for any woman selling to the international market. In addition to ensuring Togolese women a voice, flexible working hours, and fair wages, they’re also gatekeepers of cultural integrity and authenticity." – From Cause Consumer's “Beauty Products ...

Then & Now: Kante Baobab Collective

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

In 2015, I met with the Kante Baobab Collective. I was drawn to Kante, as the area is one of the most poverty stricken in Togo, and women rely on collecting and selling baobab fruits from the wild baobab trees that grow in and around their farms for additional income. Baobab trees live for severa...

Corporate Excellence Award in Washington D.C.

by Olowo-n'djo Tchala

My co-founder, Prairie Rose Hyde, and I were honored by Under Secretary of State David Hale and Assistant Secretary of State Manisha Singh with the 2018 Award for Corporate Excellence in Women’s Economic Empowerment at a ceremony in Washington D.C. on Friday, Oct. 5, 2019. I spoke about the influ...