Who is Esika?
Esika (see Gaia, Earth), pronounced [es-EE-ka] is a name we have borrowed from Mother Earth. Esika calls on the spirit of the earth, her ingenuity, generosity, revolution. We ensure her legacy of unconditional care is protected by closing the loop production and consumption. Rooting our business in the earth to ensure we all bloom. . Between you, and the spirit which made Esika possible.
We work in step with indigenous land stewards of Northern Uganda, Women’s Co-Operatives, disadvantage youth, and expert technicians Livingstone Farm to produce our Raw & Ethical: East African Shea Butter.
Our Guarantee, from our home to yours, Esika Shea Butter is free from exploitation, free from chemicals. Our goal is to reveal and protect all East African Shea Butter’s natural nutrients.
Our People
Paul Ocen - UgandaCo- Founder; CEO Uganda: Quality Systems Engineer.
Raised at at the confluence between city & country, old & new, peace & violence; Co-Founder, Paul Ocen, knew that true success was not just for him, but for his loved ones, his community, and his environment.
As a Lango man, Paul has grown up with the love of Shea Butter and knew that it's nourishing and healing properties were the key to uplifting his homeland, and beyond. Yet, if you ask him (or Beth, his wife), he would still tell you his favourite Shea is the traditionally prepared ‘Moo Yao’ which he has poured over his beans since childhood.
Paul is a man of the people and well known in Lira City. Not just for his towering stature and unmistakable family (who are part of a handful of European immigrants in the city), but for connecting opportunities, solving disputes, serving his community and challenging misconceptions with dignity and respect for all.
Kat Galvão - BrasilCo- Founder; Head of Design & Communications.
Our resident artist. Raised in Brazil, studied in the UK- our adventurous travelling polyglot know art is communication. Kat is the confluence between the Amazon rainforest and bustling Sao Paulo, bringing holistic indigenous wellness to modern ethical audiences. Kat has committed herself to demonstrating that a natural, ethical, sustainable life is a right of all people. It is not only beautiful, but changes you for the better from the inside out. Kat’s goal is to use her art to platform Esika, ensuring that our producers & planet are protected and empowered, funded through the sale of naturally powerful products making our customers glow from nourished bodies and the joy that comes from supporting a radically sustainable future.
h he has poured over his beans since childhood.
Beth Ocen - United KingdomCo- Founder; CEO UK, Socio-Environmental Projects & Operations Management.
A driven Humanitarian, Scientist and Optimist, Beth is very good at finding ridiculous solutions. First coming to Uganda in 2020 put her masters in International Disaster Management to use. Working with vulnerable people, complex circumstances and limited recourses Beth was in her element. Cemented by some love at first sight (I’m looking at you Paul Ocen) and a baby soon after, Beth realised there was a truly unique opportunity for their growing family if their two worlds connected. Not through charity, through challenging stereotypes and what is “normal” to build mutually beneficial relationship build on respect of shared humanity and the planet. This idea rattled around in Beth’s mind until one day, under the shade of a banana plant, talking to her new friend Kat, Esika revealed herself. Finally a solution, so unrealistic it had to be it.
