VERMONT SOAPWORKS VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE
SOAPMAKING TRAINING IN WEST AFRICA - & MORE
Goodwill Mission Brightens the
Future of a Village in Ghana
Middlebury, VT – When Larry Plesent departed recently on a 2-week volunteer trip to Ghana, he knew that he would be able to improve the quality of soap produced by the villagers in Asawinso. What he did not know is that his visit would have the ability to profoundly improve the economic outlook and well-being of the villagers as well. Plesent, the founder and President of Vermont Soapworks, also did not anticipate the long-lasting effect that these friendly, loving West African people would have on his life. His volunteer mission was sponsored by Winrock International and the Self-Help International Foundation.
In April, Plesent and his wife, Sandy Lincoln, taught the villagers at the Asawinso Cooperative Palm Oil Millers Association (Copoma) about liquid and bar soap production, built an essential oil distiller and began work on a soap press. They also taught chemistry, birth control, business dynamics, medicinal plants, essential oil blending and organic farming techniques to rural villagers that dwell in mud and palm frond huts. “Most importantly, we taught the villagers how to explore and understand the natural resources around them and to experiment with those elements to discover new ways of doing things,” states Plesent. For example, Plesent and Lincoln conducted trips into the woods and fields around the village during which the villagers successfully identified and harvested lemongrass and citrus plant oils that have excellent essential oil properties for improving soap quality and scent.
“At first, the people were reserved and seemed unable to identify any plant for soap-making and it was apparent that their traditional knowledge was in danger of being lost,” notes Plesent. “The project stimulated their curiosity and desire to regain traditional knowledge and opened their eyes to the resources around them in a way that goes beyond just soap sourcing,” he adds. Plesent showed the villagers how soap can be healing rather than irritating if natural ingredients are used that have moisturizing, antiseptic and anti-fungal properties.
“It was exciting to take the basic soap-making skills of the participants and help them create a superior product,” states Plesent. “We found ways to improve their product's scent and taught them how to produce their own locally sourced essential oils which may turn out to be yet another revenue source for the community,” says Plesent.
“The highlight of the project was when we taught them how to make a liquid soap with a variety of practical functions for village life including laundry, dishes and as a shampoo or bodywash,” Plesent notes. He believes that this product has enormous potential for the villagers as it is the only known village-produced liquid soap in the region. “In addition to showing them how to locally source and use various base oils and essential oils, we also made improvements to their bar soap through chemistry classes, pressing the product in molds, and instruction on the proper storage of raw materials and finished product. “In very little time we took harsh, non-scented crumbly bars of soap and transformed them into mild, nicely- scented products with improved shape, texture and lasting power,” states Plesent.
The villagers are natural entrepreneurs so Plesent and Lincoln taught them basic business skills such as factory design, work flow, customer service, cash flow, job definitions, teamwork, marketing and merchandising. They even wrote a training manual for them that covers these topics. “Beyond our objective of improving the soap-making and economic opportunities for the villagers we were glad to assist with other social concerns,” says Plesent. Asawinso was experiencing a population explosion, and the villagers were interested in learning about natural birth control methods. Asawinso was also struggling with litter problems so Plesent and Lincoln began instructing the people about proper waste management. They also taught the villagers organic agriculture techniques and methods for drying fruit to extend their food supply.
“We made strong friendships with many of the individuals in the village and feel that we would always be welcome in their homes,” says Plesent. “We ate new foods and enjoyed the intimate view of how the people lived together, how they built their homes, provided for their families and managed their time,” he added. “We hope to return to meet our friends in Ghana again within the next 12 months to evaluate progress and advance things further.”
While in Ghana, Plesent was also able to build strong relationships with organic shea butter suppliers and processors in the region. “I am organizing a strong system to source fair trade organic shea butter,” says Plesent. “It would be a boon for the regional economy and would be a nice addition to the products and services offered by Vermont Soapworks,” he adds.
Vermont Soapworks is a boutique private label manufacturer of cold process bar soaps, castile liquid soaps, shower gels and non-toxic specialty cleaners. The company is certified by NOFA as an U.S. Department of Agriculture Organic Processing Facility. “We have been using organic ingredients in our natural soap products since we started in 1992,” notes Plesent.
All Vermont Soapworks products are made from natural and organic vegetable and botanical sources such as: palm, coconut, and olive oils; liquid aloe; oats; exotic oils; and essential oils in aromatherapy blends. The products are free of artificial colors, fragrances, preservatives, and animal by-products and they are not tested on animals. To learn more visit www.vermontsoap.com
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