Monrovia, Liberia; June 4, 2025: For many women, gaining weight, especially after childbirth, can be a challenging and emotional experience, as their bodies undergo rapid changes. Moreover, it can take a toll on their health and self-confidence. Sandra Perkins-Lighe faced this struggle as well, experiencing weight gain after giving birth to her four children.”
During her time of distress, she explored the use of natural plants for weight loss, and every path in her research led to moringa. Familiar with the moringa tree, Sandra wasted no time in preparing her homemade moringa tea—and before long, she noticed positive changes in her health.
A few months later, Sandra shared her knowledge of moringa with a friend, offering guidance on its use. Soon after, her friend returned with positive results, which marked the beginning of a journey. More and more people began seeking her advice.
This growing interest sparked a business opportunity for Sandra. With newfound confidence, she started processing moringa leaves into tea bags and powder for various applications, eventually launching her product line.
Sandra began processing and packaging moringa products in her kitchen, using leaves from her garden. However, as demand grew, her supply could no longer keep up.
To meet the rising need, she started sourcing moringa leaves from other growers.
With business expanding rapidly, Sandra relocated production first to her dining room and later to her garage, adapting to the increasing demand.”
A journey leading to success
In 2024, Zaag Natural participated in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Growth Accelerator Liberia Program competition and emerged as one of the finalists.
Reflecting on her journey, Sandra shared that their initial application in 2023 did not make it to the finals. However, she remains grateful for that experience, as it provided valuable insights into areas where their business could improve. Through a business development training organized under the project, they refined their strategies, preparing for the 2024 finals.
“Winning the UNDP Growth Accelerator after an earlier setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The program’s intensive training helped me learn how to effectively manage business cash flow—a skill I believe is crucial for start-ups,” Sandra noted.
She emphasizes that many new businesses fail not just due to a lack of capital but also because of insufficient knowledge of resource management.
Her inspiration to invest in the business grew when she noticed that many people had limited awareness of moringa leaves and their economic potential. To empower others, she began purchasing moringa leaves from local growers, allowing them to earn an income.
Rather than hiring a large manufacturing team, Sandra takes pride in supporting families by creating a reliable source of income through their moringa leaf sales, helping them sustain their daily livelihoods.
“Many people were discarding moringa leaves without realizing their value. As I began collecting them from my neighbors, more people offered me their leaves as well. Recognizing an opportunity to support my community, I decided to start purchasing them, providing households with a source of income. Today, my business sources moringa leaves from approximately 35 households.
With the USD 40,000.00 grant awarded from the competition, the business secured an office space equipped with production and processing areas, including a storeroom. Additionally, Sandra has installed a 24-hour solar system to ensure continuous production, even during national grid power outages.”
“Zaag Natural has expanded significantly, growing from just three sales locations to 38 across three counties, including supermarkets and hotels”.
Sandra notes that growth has come in many forms—not just in business expansion, but also through sharing knowledge.
“The insights we gained from the six-month training have allowed us to support other small businesses. In my case, I’m always eager to guide them on setting up a financial system,” she says with a smile.
Sandra and her team now manage 198 mature moringa trees and an additional 500 in their nursery. They have also built a dedicated production facility for manufacturing their products.
In addition to their original moringa tea, they have introduced a ginger-infused variety, with plans to further expand their flavor options. Looking ahead, they aim to diversify their offerings by developing hair and skin products derived from moringa.
Sandra emphasizes that their primary market consists of health-conscious individuals, as moringa products provide a wealth of essential nutrients to support overall well-being.”
Zaag Natural is fully registered with the Liberia Business Registry (LBR) and remains tax-compliant with the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA). However, Sandra and her team are now striving to obtain certification as an organic product manufacturer—an achievement that would significantly expand their global business prospects.
One of the biggest challenges Sandra faces is acquiring this certification, as it is not yet established in Liberia and comes at a high cost. She also highlights difficulties in obtaining customized packaging, which must be ordered from China, leading to long waiting periods.
“Our biggest challenge is the inability to get things done locally, which sometimes causes production delays. Additionally, although the business sources ginger from local farmers, occasional shortages in supply create temporary setbacks,” she explains.
Despite these obstacles, Sandra remains committed to inspiring young entrepreneurs, especially women, to be intentional and resilient in their business ventures.
“My advice is to never focus solely on where you are starting, but rather on where you want to go. Sometimes the journey is discouraging. I started on a kitchen table—who would have thought a business that began in a kitchen could eventually supply people worldwide?’ she says, sighing with a bright smile.”
