SoapforHearts™

SoapforLife™ is a grassroots movement to overcome extreme poverty in Trinidad & Tobago west Indies. This project was created based on Leigh's expert experience in the soap making industry and knowing that crafting soap can in fact assist with poverty and enable rural communities to become agents for change, responsible for their own development. Leigh believes by decreasing the proportion who live in poverty would make for a better country thereby creating a better tomorrow. We believe by teaching persons to improve the health of their community is the way forward as the most essential task is to ensure the satisfaction of basic human needs: shelter, clean air, safe drinking water, and adequate nutrition and health. Popularity is growing rapidly with handmade soaps. People are beginning to discover the benefits handmade, chemical free soaps have to offer. With the common use of synthetic chemicals used in "commercial" soaps and their dangerous effects, consumers are
searching for alternatives.

Our first step is finding a rural community, next comes assessing the situation. Most times there are always adults and children in need of a bit of attention and guidance then it's to understand why. In some cases people are stricken with poverty leaving them with no water or money to afford a bar of soap to bathe with or even water to wash their clothes. Others may be elderly and unable to care for themselves and others may be able bodied individuals who do not posses skills or resources to meet society’s demand for goods and services. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that levels of personal cleanliness in society are often associated with being healthy. After assessing the community a Training Manual is done as every community is different. a training manual also helps us to ensure that training is done thoroughly, completely and in a standardized manner. After training has been completed we set up a micro-enterprise to manufacture and sell hand-made soaps within the area. This is run and managed by the residents themselves. Depending on the scale of the Soap Making Project, soap making requires relatively little in terms of equipment. Many of the ingredients needed can be sourced from right here in Trinidad and Tobago. Collection of natural ingredients such as seaweed, herbs and local flowers can, in itself, form the basis for small micro-enterprises in rural communities. Equally, the creation of packaging for the soaps offers more entrepreneurial opportunities and the community will provide a group of unemployed persons with an opportunity to learn new skills and run their own business. From this project the soap makers will be able to provide for their families. Furthermore, the families; will be able to upgrade their housing and improve their general quality of life.
For futher information email projects@wiscgroup.com