Born in Swaziland, trained as a doctor in Kenya, and working in Ghana, Audrey Dlamini has witnessed the side-effects of widespread dangerous skin and beauty treatments across the African continent. Now, she's started a business to respond to African women's skincare needs using the goodness of shea butter, so-called "African Gold", as a basic ingredient.

Either in attempts to reduce hyper-pigmentation, or to achieve supposedly more beautiful, paler skin tones, women in Africa have for years used cocktails of dermatological products. In many cases, chronic use, abuse of steroid-based creams, application of artificial bleaching agents, and even use of products containing mercury, leads to serious medical complications.

"I have seen women suffer tissue scarring, thinning of the skin, hypertension and even renal failure as a result of chronic and over-use of these products," says Audrey. "Despite efforts in consultation rooms, it has proved extremely difficult to get some patients to stop using such harmful skin treatments."

Shea butter: a natural therapeutic alternative

Following extensive research into the various qualities (including skin-nourishing properties) of shea butter, fruit of the shea tree, Audrey set up Bumesaye Naturals. "I started experimenting with different formulae, mixing the butter with various other natural extracts, like aloe, Calendula and other indigenous herbal extracts. We began a limited trial programme, and we are now in the process of receiving approval to market our products from the Standards Board of Ghana."

In addition to meeting the particular skin colour toning requirements of consumers, Bumesaye Naturals products will reduce the visible signs of ageing, help treat acne, and nourish the skin. They will also help treat eczema and the common skin lesions suffered by HIV-AIDS sufferers. "The team comprises medical and pharmaceutical professionals," says Audrey, "and the therapeutic benefits of the products are considerable. We're aiming to show people that there are effective alternatives to the synthetic creams they rely on."

Fruits of the forest

Audre's business, located in Accra, Ghana, is already producing two natural soaps and a cream enriched with shea butter, which is procured from women in shea-nut gathering communities based in the country's northern regions. Audrey intends to continually strengthen development and educational links with these communities.

"The next stage of our expansion involves further research, the automation and computerization of some accounting, production, distribution and quality assurance operations," says Audrey. "Winning the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards would obviously be a major boost to this next phase," she adds.

Audrey first read about the Awards in an online advertisement placed in a Swaziland newspaper. "I'm not sure that women face substantially different challenges to men in Africa when actually running a business", she says. "However, difficulties in raising finance and other forms of support probably mean that the initial establishment of new ventures is more difficult for women. That's why I'm very very happy to be participating in a competition which privileges female entrepreneurship."