In a significant step toward transforming Uganda’s nilotica shea economy, Overseas Resource Foundation (ORFL) is supporting Okere City in Otuke District, northern Uganda to establish a shea butter processing factory and leverage digital marketing to increase sales. This funding marks a major milestone in the journey to empower 5,000 women in Otuke District by 2030, enabling them to add value to shea nuts, access premium markets, and secure increased incomes for their households.

For generations, women in Otuke District have played a central role in the shea butter value chain. They harvest shea nuts, process them using labor-intensive traditional methods, and sell the butter in small local markets. However, despite their hard work, these women earn only a fraction of the potential value of their shea butter due to low production capacity, limited market access, and a lack of value addition facilities.

With ORFL support, Okere City will construct a modern shea butter processing facility, which will:

• Increase production efficiency—reducing the time and labor required to process shea butter.
• Improve product quality—meeting international standards for export and premium cosmetic markets.
• Ensure fairer prices for women—helping them move beyond subsistence-level earnings.

Beyond production, the grant will support digital marketing initiatives to position Okere Shea Butter in premium local and international markets. Okere City will harness:

• E-commerce platforms to sell directly to consumers across Uganda and beyond.
• Social media campaigns to tell the powerful story of Ugandan women in the shea industry.
• Partnerships with global retailers looking for high-quality, ethically sourced nilotica shea butter.
• With an improved processing facility and stronger market access, the women of Otuke will:
  Earn more income, allowing them to provide better food, healthcare, and education for their families.
• Gain financial independence, reducing economic vulnerability.
• Preserve Uganda’s shea trees, as increased demand for high-quality butter incentivizes conservation.

As Okere City takes this bold step forward, the vision of making Uganda’s nilotica shea butter a globally recognized, high-value product is becoming a reality.  

Follow Okere City’s shea journey at www.okerecity.org/shea-butter.