Participants during the soap making workshop organised by the Entrepreneurs Associates held at Aloha Learning Centre, Kohima.
Kohima, January 27 (MExN): The Entrepreneurs Associates (EA) has successfully conducted a two-day soap making workshop under Reverse Urbanization Campaign from January 25 to 26 at Aloha Learning Centre, Kohima.
Vetoni, Associate Pastor, Lumami Baptist Church, who also received the training from Thailand was the resource person of the workshop. The workshop was attended by 53 participants from different districts including one from Senapati district, Manipur.
Under the flagship programme of ‘Trees for Wealth’, EA has launched a campaign titled ‘reverse urbanization’ envisioning to help local people and communities find meaningful and dignified livelihoods in their own native places.
The Reverse Urbanization Campaign is an attempt to help local youth and people see opportunities locally and innovate to earn and even contribute to the local economy.
In this, EA has taken the lead to conduct relevant skilling and even facilitate upgradation of existing skills through trainings and seminars.
The two-day soap making workshop trained the participants on the methods involved in making varied soaps such as milk and honey, coffee scrub, aloe vera, papaya and citrus right from its initial stages to its final stages. Information regarding procuring the materials and measurements was also shared along with personal interactions with the trainer.
“We are planning to do a team trial first and after perfecting the skill on soap making, we want to train others. Our main mission is to train women and youths mostly residing in rural areas. We are anticipating more such training from EA in the future,” stated Asalu Nyekha, a Programme Associates from NEN (North East Network).
She attended the workshop along with two staff members and two women from SEWA (Self Employed Women’s Association).
One of the participants, Thsarola Sangtam, a BSc Agricultural graduate journeyed all the way from Tuensang to learn soap making. She occasionally provides training in Self Help Groups, Tuensang, voluntarily and previously taught the steps of oyster cultivation while currently planning to train the people back home about soap making. She also plans to venture out into soap making business along with other products.
“I’m very thankful to Entrepreneurs Associates and Vetoni for this workshop. Initially, I was quite hesitant to buy products from the market because I was not fully aware of the composition. But the ingredients used in this workshop are safe so I am planning to make the soaps for my personal usage,” said Lilo Awomi, a civil service aspirant who was thrilled after learning a new skill.
Christine Ngouniba from Senapati, Manipur said that this training was quite helpful. She plans to start a home-based business with this new skill if this is a basic skill which can be learned. Thus, instead of depending everything on the markets for our needs, we should learn to make our own products, she added.
All the participants were women from diverse backgrounds and came from various districts like Tuensang, Tseminyu, Phek, and Dimapur and even from the neighboring state Manipur. While some women wanted to venture out in business, some wanted to give training to uplift communities after learning from this two-day workshop.
Meanwhile, under Reverse Urbanization campaign, EA is planning to conduct a series of skills trainings and seminars in the rural areas to explore local opportunities for all.
The next programme slated under the Reverse Urbanization Campaign, will be in the form of seminar for students at Porba village under Phek District on February 5.
