Project: Soap Making

Objective: To teach local households how to make detergent for washing clothes.

Purpose: Reduce household expenditures. Detergent, along with yerba, sugar and meat, is one of the largest non-luxury expenditures of a typical campo household

Result: +50% reduction in amount spent on clothes detergent, as well as a successful demonstration that non-commercial options are obtainable.

Personal Experience with SOAP MAKING:

Making soap with local families was probably one of the simplest, yet most successful activities I organized - and will probably be the most remembered.

As mentioned on page one, laundry detergent is one of the largest household expenditure of rural families. Making homemade soap in bulk, using lye, rendered cow fat, and a fragrance agent, is an extremely effective (and simple) way to cut costs.

The best part of this activity is the amount of interest it generates. The idea of making something of use from practically nothing, in a very short amount of time, is enjoyable for people. This is also one of the few projects I worked on that comfortably included women as the main participants and benefactors of the work.

Procuring the cleaned cow fat was the largest obstacle, but to even call it that exaggerates it. The process is also slightly time consuming, but this can be best avoided by producing in bulk. Potential opportunities for product sales as a means of income amplification also exist.

(written October 2011 based on observations between Dec 2010 - October 2011)