Soapmaking was introduced into the Goducate livelihood program in Laguna, the Philippines, as a means for the women to earn some extra income for the family. Initially they made plain soaps and liquid detergent for personal use or for sale locally. More recently they were taught to make herbal soaps. And then they had a big break with an order for 400 pieces of herbal soap, from a couple getting married in Singapore and wanting to use the soaps as door gifts. The couple chose two kinds of soap—moringa and guava.
Moringa soap is made with extract from the leaves of the moringa plant. This plant contains many nutrients. Its leaves are rich in niacin, which as used in skin-care and anti-ageing products is said to promote skin health. Guava soap is made with extract from guava leaves, which are said to have antibacterial properties.
The team of 15 making or packaging these soaps was led by a Goducate supporter, an education graduate who had learnt about herbal soapmaking as a student while preparing for her thesis, and by a Goducate staff member overseeing livelihood projects. The soaps were wrapped with purple trimming, purple being the theme color for the wedding, and then placed in commercially bought abaca bags, which are made from the fibre obtained from the stalk of the abaca plant, a banana-like plant native to the Philippines.
We hope that this livelihood project will continue to be one that will benefit the needy being helped by Goducate.
