SISTER UKHANA - A SHAMELESS PLUG

A bit off topic for my blog, but I need to give Sister Ukhana a mention as I have been meaning to do so for a while.

Sister Ukhana is a Community Interest Company set up by a friend of mine.  Back in 2005, I think it was, my very very good friend Jade went to volunteer in an orphanage in Ghana for around six months or so.  I missed her lots during that time, but she came back in 2006 with a plan to set up a business to sell fair trade cocoa butter products made by women in Ghana and packaged by women here.  If you want to know more you can find out more about the ins and outs of the business on her website. 

Now I have every faith in Jade that she will accomplish whatever she will set out to do, but I have to say that a teeny part of me thought this might be a bit of a tall order, even for Jade, but I needn't have worried.  In the midst of training for a new job, working more than full time, buying a house, learning French, being a heavily involved director of another Community Interest Company and a good few other things thrown in for good measure including the selfless acts of being my bridesmaid and organising my baby shower ;) Jade is well on the way to having Sister Ukhana as a fully functioning and trading business.  She has worked to complete application after application for funding grants, worked with pharmacists (or the like so don't quote me on the exact qualification) on formulations, website designers, graphic designers, friends and associates in the UK and Ghana to sourcing ingredients and a team etc, etc.  The list goes on!

Sister Ukhana CIC was registered in 2010, but there's been huge progress this January what with the website being launched so I thought this was the perfect time to show Jade and her hard work some love and tell her how extremely proud I am of her for her achievements and also how much I love her for being my friend.

Jade and I on a night out pre-motherhood

Oh and given that I like to talk a bit about my photography interest in this blog I am very selfishly going to give myself a little mention for doing some of the product shots for the website like the one on  the top right hand side of the website's homepage.  I was really chuffed that Jade asked me to do this, even if it did take me an age to get them sorted,  and am so pleased with how they look on the website, can't believe that I actually took them.  Thanks so much for the opportunity my lovely.

So finally if you would like to find out more about Sister Ukhana have a look at the website, like her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.