Chronicle Editor
Chrispen Gumunyu, Business Reporter
A BINGA-BASED women group, Zubo Women Empowerment Centre has come up with a popular soap Jatropha anti-bacteria that has managed to grab a market in Germany.
ZWEC business manager Ms Matron Muleya said the jatropha soap manufactured by Binga women was proving to be popular in Germany as realised by the orders the organisation continues to receive from the economic giant European country.
“The organisation started exporting jatropha soap to Germany in 2018 and managed to rake US$5 000 and so far this year we have made over US$4 000.
The quantity supplied depends on the size of the order and we are anticipating exporting more this year. Our total production capacity is pegged at 2 500 kilogrammes of soap per year,” said Ms Muleya.
Jatropha soap is made by mixing jatropha seed and oil with sodium hydroxide to produce washing soap.
The soap is believed to contain natural oil that helps to protect the skin against rashes, fungus, and other skin problems such as ringworms especially in children.
“Our jatropha soap is made of local organic ingredients and does not contain additives.
We produce the soap at the request of our customers, perfumed or perfume-free.
It does not merely cleanse the skin, but can gently contribute to the prevention and treatment of skin ailments and conditions.
The soap is manufactured with its glycerine content intact making it a potent moisturising agent.
It is also free of harmful chemicals, hence being gentle not only on the skin but also to our local and global ecosystems,” said Ms Muleya.
Buoyed by the increasing demand of the soap in Germany, ZWEC is considering further exploring new export markets.
“The soap seems to be performing well on the export market. This is shown by continued orders from our Germany customers.
However, venturing into other new markets may be of great benefit to us as we seek to realise more revenue,” said Ms Muleya.
The organisation is also targeting to intensify the soap’s presence in the tourism and hospitality sector.
“The project is entering a highly competitive soap and detergent market.
The greatest competition comes from ordinary soaps, which consumers are used to but the project is focusing on discovering a niche market of health conscious consumers through the tourism and hospitality sector as well as health and beauty players locally and internationally,” said Ms Muleya.
ZWEC is a business oriented initiative, which was formed by non-profit making organisation, Zubo Trust that focuses on promoting women and youth empowerment programmes in the Zambezi Valley.
The organisation was established by Zambezi Valley women, at the beginning of 2009 upon realising the lack of adequate attention being given to the issues that affect women and youths.
The organisation facilitates various projects such fish farming, marula processing, basketry, jatropha harvesting, moringa processing and agricultural production as part of its efforts to improve income and livelihoods of these marginalised groups.
In 2015, the organisation set up a Jatropha processing plant in Binga.
The plant focuses on processing of Jatropha seeds into soap and other by-products of commercial value.
“There are 13 women involved in soap production drawn from Sikalenge, Manjolo, Simatelele, Siachilaba, Kariangwe and Chinonge wards with two men being involved in oil pressing.
The production team was selected from different women’s forums in the wards,” said Ms Muleya.
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