Startup Story
Fatou Sarr is an entrepreneur and the founder and ceo of Takhar Aloè Véra which is a company producing and processing aloe vera into cosmetic products and natural food supplements. She is also the ceo of its market gardening business which focuses on agricultural production. Fatou was born in the region of Fatick in Senegal and her entrepreneurial journey started after she completed her scientific studies in high school, where she took professional training in computer networking. Today she is also a computer network technician.
LoA chatted to Fatou Sarr to learn more about her business and her entrepreneurial journey to date.
What does your company do?
Takhar Aloè Véra is a company producing and processing Aloe Vera into natural cosmetics and natural food supplements here in Senegal. Takhar offers a range of products that offer customers a return to nature.
“At the beginning it was not easy especially when self-financing and wanting to see my brand everywhere in the world, but gradually I knew how to manage with my own funds.”
What inspired you to start your company?
I had noticed that here in Africa we often have skin problems (skin infection, pimples, spots), hair and dental problems. But also, an unbalanced diet because we ingest a lot of salt, broth, sugar. So that motivated me to propose Aloe Vera as a solution, thanks to its high content of amino acids, enzymes, and mineral salts that our body needs on a daily basis, whether as an external application on the skin or to be consumed to ensure good bodily function.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Because we work with this miraculous Aloe Vera plant with its multiple virtues. And also because our Aloe Vera is organically grown and cold-produced.
“Thanks to the love and patience that I have for my project, I have known an advancement over time and I give thanks to God.”
Tell us a little about your team
Takhar Aloé Véra currently has 4 permanent employees, two of which are in production and two in the processing room, but also six employees who come to work during the harvest of the leaves, bottling, labeling, etc.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Since high school I was already thinking about entrepreneurship and working for my own account, so in 2012 just at the end of my high school and at the beginning of my professional training course, I started in agriculture. I chose market gardening and the growing of fruit crops to have a starting point for the Aloe Vera project. At the beginning it was not easy especially when self-financing and wanting to see my brand everywhere in the world, but gradually I knew how to manage with my own funds. Thanks to the love and patience that I have for my project, I have known an advancement over time and I give thanks to God.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We would like to expand, conquer the foreign market and the sub-regions, and organize training sessions.
“If you succeed in entrepreneurship you will allow yourself to help other people to have a job and this contributes to the reduction of unemployment.”
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
The satisfaction of our customers and their positive feedback shows me how much I help them solve their problems. To this is added my daily experience of my passion and the awareness of some for their return to nature.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
If you have the passion, the opportunity, and the power to undertake your business, get started while getting closer to people who already have experience to better guide you. Seek to train yourself. If you succeed in entrepreneurship you will allow yourself to help other people to have a job and this contributes to the reduction of unemployment.
Contact or follow Takhar Aloè Véra
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL takharaloe@outlook.com
Why LoA loves it….
At Lionesses of Africa, we love those women entrepreneurs who have a passion and are determined to turn it into a business, making a difference to the lives of others through their products and services. Fatou Sarr is such an entrepreneur, using the natural power of aloe vera to create natural beauty and food products that help people to both look and feel good. Through her business, Fatou is positively changing lives and creating jobs, making an impact and inspiring others to follow her example. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa