Soap Studio
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Eco Handmade Soap
Together with value aligned local partners we have joined forces aiming to empower underprivileged communities in the Chitwan area.
We have set up an eco-friendly soap studio in Chitwan, Nepal. We will involve marginalised women in growing herbs, producing soap, packaging, marketing & sales and distribution of the soap products to hotels, businesses and schools locally and for export purposes. In this way we will be able to not only provide jobs but also develop business acumen. By providing targeted training programmes, the women can learn skills needed in the end to end process of making and selling soap. Besides skills training, personal development training will also be part of the training programme. This will allow them to become financially independent but more importantly self-confident and empowered.
In Chitwan there are about 125 hotels and lodges. These accommodations all need soap, which is currently being imported from India. By setting up an environmentally friendly soap factory that produces organic soap, locally in Chitwan, we strongly believe it will help increase female labour participation in the Chitwan area but also improve the economic and social status of women and their communities and reduce the over-reliance on imports from India and China.
Project Status
November 2024
Together with Asif and Roshni, our soap experts, we went to Chitwan, to make a new batch of soap and train the women how to package the soaps consistently and with an eye for detail. It was so wonderful to see them again. They really feel like family to us. Kusumi, the proud owner of the soap studio and the other women, Shivarajani, Shanti, Sunita, Goma, Aakriti and Aliza, were very proud to see the beautiful soap gift boxes which they helped create.
Our local IT-expert Pradeep helped optimise the electricity capacity in the soap studio and installed internet and Wi-Fi so that the women can work more efficiently. We also provided the women with 2 laptops and a mobile phone so that they can run the soap business properly.
Together with his local building team, Pradeep will also support us in creating an office space and extending the building with another drying room and storage space.
With Asif and Roshni, we discussed how we can extend our product range with liquid soap for hotels and bigger soap bars for schools.
We will also be exploring new products in 2025.
APRIL 2024
The very first order of 500 homemade Hāāmī soaps have been successfully produced and delivered! Aliza, Aakriti, Shivrajani, Sunita, Kusumi and Shanti have created wonderful scented Coconut soap bars with love and dedication. They were very happy that the order for these soaps could be delivered to the Nepalese organization Dhaulagiri Integrated Rural Development Center (DIRDC).
This means they have started to generate their own income, taking another step towards becoming financially independent. Of course, the sales proceeds will also be used to purchase new ingredients to make new soaps.
From left to right: Aliza, Aakriti, Shivrajani, Sunita, Kusumi and Shanti.
FEBRUARY 2024
The dried soap has been tested and the quality of the soap is very good. These first soaps have been wrapped in recycled paper and are ready to be sold. We got our initial order for 500 pieces of soap from another Dutch NGO ‘Medora’ who works in the Baglung area. The ladies have made this batch of 500 pieces that will be ready for delivery end of February/Early March 2024.
The first soaps wrapped in recycled paper with a nice looking sticker with the scent and ingredients.
November 2023
The drying room has been set up. It can dry up to 2000 pieces of soap per month all year round. The ladies are practicing making 4 different soap formulations. These batches of soap need to dry for 40 days. Our soap expert, Asif Ahmad from United Arocos Enterprises, will check once they are dry, if the quality is consistent and the soap is hard enough. Different options for sustainable packaging are being explored.
Making soap requires good skills and consistency of production. Practice makes perfect.
JULY 2023
Recently 15 ladies took part in a professional training course on how to make soap. The women were taken through a 10-day soap making training course by Asif Ahmad, a biochemist and expert in soap making. From ensuring the right ingredients and quantities and safety procedures to the final result: a nice piece of soap. In the rented building a drying room will be created so the women can start producing eco soap the whole year round.
January 2023
6 Degrees has rented a building and has set up a workplace for soap making. We are developing a distribution network with hotels in the area and within Nepal so that the soap made by the women has a market. We are also looking for a soap making trainer who can up-skill the women to the next level op soap making.
october 2022
This project has experienced delays because of COVID and other external factors.
6 Degrees is still very keen to support the women in soap making for the local market. A group of 17 women have had their initial soap making training, so they know how to make soap. In consultation with our board we have decided to discontinue the setting up of a full-scale soap factory.
April 2021
During their trip to Nepal in March 2021, a piece of land suitable to build the soap factory was identified.
A site inspection and evaluation has been completed by local construction partners Baha Spatial Agency and Sustainable Future together with Debbie and Gita. The initial site plan for the soap factory, integrated with the other facilities that will make up the Eco Village for the Musahar community was proposed.
Within the Eco Village, besides the soap factory, an Early Learning Development Centre for children will be also set up. The Eco Village also includes the Poultry Farm and Organic Farming.
17 March 2021
On 17 March 2021, during their latest trip to Nepal, Debbie and Gita signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with value aligned partners for the design and construction of the sustainable soap factory in Chitwan. Sustainable Future Pvt. Ltd. Nepal will oversee the whole construction. Baha Spatial Agency will do the architectural design, Smart Paani will provide the water management solutions for efficient water use, reuse and storage, and Sunworks will provide solar solutions for efficient use of electricity, drying and heating.
The soap factory will be a part of the Eco Village Concept that 6° will be focusing on in the coming years. We are very excited to work with these partners with the aim to create job security for the Musahar community and improve their economic and social status.
JULY 2020
Our campaign to source funds from individuals and organisations will start once our business plan is complete. We will need all the support we can get to build this eco soap social enterprise in Nepal.
april 2020
Debbie and Gita had plans to travel to Nepal to kick-off the research and feasibility study phase in March 2020 but they had to postpone their trip due to
Objectives
The objective of the project is to develop a eco soap business that not only employs the underprivileged women but is also operated by them, providing them with the necessary skills and better income-generating opportunities.
Project Partnership
United Arocos Enterprises (UAE) specialises in manufacturing and conducting R&D for various skincare products alongside perfumes. Additionally, they offer product development services to other companies. UAE provides soap making training and guidance to the women in the soap studio.