Our Founders

BA AND FANTA

Ba and Fanta are the founders of the African Fair Trade Society. They came from the small rural village of Dakateli in the West African country Senegal. Ba and Fanta grew up picking the fruit of the wild savannah tree that produces not only delicious fruit, but a unique vitamin rich fat that is extracted from the seed. This creamy nut oil is called Shea Butter or in French, Beurre de karite. They emigrated from Africa to Canada in August 1987 and are now Canadian citizens with four children all born in Canada.

African Fair Trade Society Videos

African Movements is a documentary about the African Fair Trade Society produced in early 2006. Interviews with Ba about Africa, the founding of the African Fair Trade Society and the miracles of shea butter. We have also posted a short promotional video about the African Fair Trade Society.

More about Ba:

Ba came to Canada in August 1987. He explored the opportunities to export gum Arabic, African black soap, cotton oil, cotton fiber, tropical flowers, handy crafts, and palm oil. When Ba was in Africa, he was an agricultural worker. He helped groups to export raw and processed agricultural products to international markets. He has 8 years of experience doing this and one day Ba thought to himself, “Why don’t I import this Fair Trade to Canada and US? This way, I can help to provide jobs and education for my people.”

More about Ba:

Fanta has worked with the economic development of African villages and helped develop this important source of income to the poorest villages

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