Alaffia Founder & CEO Olowo-n'djo Tchala saw many injustices growing up in the small village of Kaboli in Northern Togo, West Africa, including gender inequality and poverty. He founded Alaffia with Prairie Rose Hyde to fight these injustices through sustainable health, education and environmental initiatives. He met Rose in 1996 when she was invited to serve as an environmental volunteer in the Peace Corp in his home village. From the beginning, the two shared a desire to positively impact humankind. They returned to the US determined to make a difference in West Africa. In 2004, armed with his understanding of the value of indigenous West African resources and an understanding of sustainable business ideologies, he launched Alaffia's first collective. Alaffia aims to alleviate poverty and advance gender equality through the Certified Fair Trade of indigenous resources and community empowerment initiatives. Alaffia continues to redefine the natural products industry through its values of beauty, equality and empowerment.