[click here for the story of how it has come to the US and what to used it for]

[click here to see a photo tour of how RAW shea is made]

August 17, 2007 -- For Immediate Release

Help Queen Bee Make a Difference this Holiday Season
Nourish your skin and soul

1.1 billion people worldwide go without a clean water supply; another 1.5 billion people do not have adequate sanitation facilities.  WaterAid, a non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to enabling the world's poorest people to gain access to safe water and sanitation, heads one of the largest water projects worldwide. The impact of safe water and sanitation close to home extends well beyond expected health benefits and decreased effort in water collecting. These developments are the foundation for all subsequent life improvements, thus are key instigators in poverty reduction.

WaterAid has recognized several regions of the world that require immediate and sustainable assistance in acquiring clean water and sanitation facilities. Ghana, Africa, is a country of particular need:  The three northern regions of Ghana are acutely deprived, with one in ten children dying before their fifth birthday.  In Ghana, inadequate water supply and sanitation services contribute to over 70% of diseases, costing the country significantly in terms of healthcare and productivity. Only 44% of the rural population has access to safe water, and only 11% have access to sanitation facilities.  Projects financed in Ghana include building community pump wells and ventilated latrines, and providing educational training to villagers regarding good hygiene practices.

Queen Bee Skin Care sources their fabulous raw shea butter from a U.S. company directly teaching sustainable farming and eco-friendly practices to women of Northern Ghana, thus feels a particular connection to the Nasia Village in Northern Ghana, where their raw shea is made.

Raw shea butter, thickened oil extracted from the nut of the shea tree, is an extremely versatile product containing both carotene and alantoin for excellent moisturizing, soothing, anti-aging and healing. Made on the savannah in Northern Ghana, women of the region have used raw shea for centuries to combat Africa’s brutal sun and wind. It’s a better product than the traditional hexane refined shea found in many skin care products currently. 
With enormous potential to treat almost anything that ails the skin, raw shea butter’s common uses include: Dry or rough skin, Anti-aging, Blemishes, Tattoo hydration, Itching, Skin cracks, Scarring, Sunburn, Insect bites, and Chapped lips

This holiday season, Queen Bee Skin Care has vowed to give back to the African community from which their raw shea is procured. Queen Bee will donate $1 from the sale of every Tub O’ Raw Shea ($26.00, 4 oz. Tub O Shea) to WaterAid, with a goal of donating $10,000.00 by January, 2008. Our raw unrefined shea butter is a grayish color with a mild, nutty scent and very heavy creamy balm texture. It is sold in its raw, natural state with nothing (no color or fragrance) added.

Founded in 2004, Queen Bee offers simple, natural skin care products to health conscious consumers. With a focus on personalized products and service, all Queen Bee products are homemade, by hand, from scratch, using natural and organic ingredients. The Queen Bee motto ‘Made with Love’ represents the philosophy of founder Lynne Killey that “each bottle or jar of product is made with attention to quality of ingredients, harmony with nature and care for the person who will be using our product.”

For more information on Queen Bee Skin Care’s fundraising efforts, and to purchase the Tub O’ Raw Shea, visit www.QueenBeeSauce.com, call 970.731.3690 or email QB@QueenBeeSauce.com. 

Fact Sheet

Ghana Information

• Population of 21.1 million
• 39% of people live below the poverty line (over 8 million people)
• 46% of adults cannot read or write
• 57 year life expectancy

Water and Sanitation

• 5000 children worldwide die each day because of unclean water and poor sanitation facilities.  
• The weight of water that women carry on their heads is roughly 45 pounds, the same as the average airline luggage allowance. 
• Women in rural Africa spend an average of 26% of their time retrieving water – time that could be spent making crafts for sale or getting an education.
• 443 million school days are lost each year due to water-related diseases.
• 11% more girls attend school when sanitation is available.

How Your Money Helps

WaterAid projects provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education for a cost of $30.00 per person, helping over 50,000 people yearly in Ghana alone. www.WaterAid.org/usa

$10.00 pays for one bag of cement to make a latrine slab
$50.00 buys the tools for a hand-dug well
$200.00 pays for the training of ten community water and sanitation educators
$203.00 buys a community rope-pump (for a well) and pays installation costs
$916.00 buys a Nira hand-pump (for a well)
$3056.00 pays for a 40ft hand-dug well, fitted with a hand-pump. This well provides water for 250-300 people.