Rahama Wright, the founder and CEO of Shea Yeleen, will be attending the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington D.C. The summit will bring together leaders from across Africa and the United States to discuss ways to strengthen ties between the two regions. Rahama plans to use the summit as an opportunity to promote the Shea Yeleen brand and to forge new connections with African leaders.
Rahama founded Shea Yeleen in 2005 with the goal of empowering African women through the production and sale of natural beauty products. The company sources its shea butter from women-owned cooperatives in Burkina Faso, and uses a portion of its profits to fund education and entrepreneurship programs for women.
Rahama will take part in the Prosper Africa Deal Room at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, DC on December 14th. At the Summit, Rahama will address leading U.S. and African businesses, investors, and government leaders about fostering economic and community development between both nations through the beauty ingredient supply chain in Africa. Rahama will also discuss the positive environmental impact of social enterprise.
Rahama started her journey in the beauty industry back in 2003. Since then, she has worked diligently at the intersection of beauty, business development, and policy. Her passion is to create opportunities for women, both in the United States and Africa. In order to do this, Rahama founded Shea Yeleen.
Shea Yeleen is a premium natural shea butter skincare company that not only nourishes the skin, but also empowers its producers in northern Ghana. Rahama has been working closely with the women in this region for over 15 years, and she is passionate about helping them to build a better future for themselves and their families.
Rahama is currently developing the Yeleen Beauty Makerspace, a co-manufacturing space for early-stage beauty entrepreneurs in Washington, DC.
The Makerspace will create 200 jobs in an underserved area of the nation’s capital and provide a platform for a new wave of business owners to develop skills and scale production, disrupting an industry in which Black-owned brands generate revenue less than a quarter of what Black consumers spend.
This manufacturing facility will be the first commercial shared facility designed to support women and founders of colour in the beauty industry in the United States.
The Yeleen Beauty Makerspace will provide critical resources and support to early-stage entrepreneurs who are often shut out of traditional funding sources. The makerspace will offer workspace, resources, and mentorship to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into businesses.
This will be a place for beauty startups to test their products, build their brands, and connect with customers. The Yeleen Beauty Makerspace will be a launchpad for the next generation of beauty entrepreneurs.
Rahama has served on the President’s Advisory Council on doing Business in Africa since 2014. She previously served in the Peace Corps, and her experience there led her to become a guest speaker at the United Nations, State Department, World Bank, Global Entrepreneurship Summit, and the Sustainable Brands Conference.
Rahama is passionate about helping businesses succeed in Africa, and she works tirelessly to advise and support companies that are looking to enter the African market. She is a wealth of knowledge and experience, and her advice is invaluable to anyone looking to do business in Africa.
Rahama has long been an influential voice in the multi-billion dollar beauty industry. In recent years, she has parlayed her success and platform into a political one, using her unique position to call for change on a number of issues. From advocating for more diverse representation in the industry to speaking out against discrimination and inequity, Rahama is a powerful force for good in the world of politics. Her passion and commitment to making positive change is an inspiration to us all.