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June 2, 2022
Care and Hope in Red Ribbon
June 2, 2022Village-made Herbal Soaps Favored in Cities
Such things brings the grist to the mill–That is the proverb that suits Mama Aksamina Jenbeka and Mama Nersi Karma, both of whom are the Village Health Team (TKD) of Kamaifui Village, Mataru District. Both of them are also herbal soap activists in their village. Starting from the provision of knowledge and skills in making herbal soap and its benefits organized by UPKM / CD Bethesda YAKKUM, Aksamina and Nersi then often practice making herbal soap and experiment with plant ingredients around the house which they think are beneficial for skin health. The results are used for the family and some are given to neighbors.
In addition, Mama Aksamina and Mama Nersi accompanied by UPKM / CD Bethesda YAKKUM staff also took the initiative to provide training in making herbal soap for pregnant women and parents of toddlers. This training is intended so that pregnant women and parents of toddlers can make herbal soap and be used by their families so that they always strive to maintain health by keeping their bodies clean.
Not only in the village, the herbal soap is also in demand by people in Kalabahi, the city of Alor Regency. Starting from Mama Nersi’s relatives who live in Kalabahi who tried using the herbal soap and felt its efficacy for her skin health. After a few days of using herbal soap made by Mama Nersi, the black spots on her face gradually disappeared. She told some of her neighbors about the efficacy of the herbal soap from Kamaifui Village. This made residents interested and ordered herbal soap through her, so that orders for herbal soap to Mama Nersi and Mama Aksamina increased dramatically.
Given the distance from Kamaifui Village to Kalabahi City is quite far and passes through hills and valleys, so Mama Nersi’s brother offered to make herbal soap in the city so that the customers would not be far away to get herbal soap. The offer was accepted and in August 2020 Mama Aksa and Mama Nersi came to the city of Kalabahi Alor to make herbal soap of course by bringing herbal ingredients from the village.
There are 9 types of herbal plants used, namely betel leaves, temulawak, turmeric, neem leaves, bengkoang, lemongrass, blimbing wuluh leaves, gandarusa and other supporting ingredients.
Orders still keep coming in from the city. If the stock of herbal soap has started to run low, then Aksamina and Nersi come to the city to produce more soap. After the herbal soap was produced in the city, during August-September 2020, 150 pieces of herbal soap were sold. The price of herbal soap per piece is priced at IDR 20,000 so that the two mothers bring IDR 3,000,000 to their village. Orders still continue to flow and return to producing soap in the city if the stock of herbal soap has begun to run low. (Wisnugroho).
