The simple and elegant dark green soaps are the result of the trainees’ hard work. What caught our eyes was the handmade soap with a woman’s image printed on it and the words “Handcrafted in Lumbini, Tzu Chi” -- it symbolizes the strength of these Lumbini women, who are gradually developing their confidence through love.

In Lumbini, many people want to earn a living, but there are no job opportunities; and it is even more difficult for women. Due to deep-rooted traditional beliefs, most stay at home to help their families. On August 24, 2023, Tzu Chi volunteers from Singapore and Malaysia came up with a new idea to improve the livelihood of disadvantaged families and actively promote the income-generating program. Professional teachers were hired for a 10-day vocational course to train handmade skills in soap-making. Women of poor care recipients could earn living expenses, alleviate the burden on their families, and break free from the cycle of generational poverty with a valuable skill.

The first part was to see if their sanitary environment was clean, if there were lights in the house, and any leaks. The second was the women’s attitude towards learning and whether they want to make soap. The third thing Tzu Chi volunteers wanted to see was whether the women knew mathematics and simple numbers.

On August 16, Shakya Subani, the local volunteer in charge of the handmade soap project, and the interview team went to the villages one by one to find suitable candidates for home visits, assessments, and to prepare alternative interview questions for the care recipients.

"I don't know how to do maths, but my children will teach me." The women who had never been to school did not want to give up, and had a strong desire to find opportunities for themselves. The volunteers encouraged them by saying: "It doesn't matter if you don't know how to do maths; you can still come here to learn." In this way, the volunteers initially found eight women to participate in the vocational training.

On the first day of class, August 24, six vocational trainees came to the Lumbini Tzu Chi Center in the afternoon; all walked from their villages to the center, a journey of about an hour. The teachers were Mr. and Mrs. Cakra from Kathmandu, Shakya Subani's parents, who had come to teach at Lumbini for the 10-day course.

The first lesson was theoretical, in which the teacher carefully shared the different spices of the region, including rose powder, saffron powder, neem powder, and so on, and then explained what to pay attention to in the soap-making process. Since the women were from the villages and could not understand the Nepali language, they had to rely on local volunteers for translation to grasp the lesson.

"Lumbini is the place where the Buddha was born, and Tzu Chi is now going from house to house to understand the situation of the local people, trying to help them," said the teacher. The teacher explained the concept of good karma and the ingredients for handmade soap, emphasizing the potential of using local resources like Neem Trees with antibacterial properties for soap production.

He drew inspiration from the neem tree, which grows abundantly in the region and is used by villagers for various purposes, including toothbrushes. The teacher likened the neem tree's ability to spread nourishment to the wisdom taught by the Buddha, highlighting the enduring impact of both. Almost every house in the area has a neem tree in front of it. Though ordinary, it is a rich source of resources and treasures, much like the untapped potential within these women.

The volunteers thoughtfully prepared a folder with a notebook and pen for each participant. During the class, they listened attentively to the lectures, jotting down the ingredients and fragrances used in soap-making. They responded positively to the teacher's questions, much like vigorous neem trees, welcoming the future with hope.

A Jing Si Aphorism says: “Do not underestimate yourself; everyone has unlimited potential.”

Join Tzu Chi. Let us make the world a better place.

Stay with us as the story continues...

Story by Yang Wen-Ting, Hsieh Chien-Yi, Wu Hsiu-Ling, Huang Hu-Wan, and Liao Yuet-Hung