Benjamin and I (Amanda) were in India November 3-13th continuing to work with our soapmaking group. The women live in villages in and surrounding Anupshahar in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Our host and partner, Pardada Pardadi Educational Society, is all about community development through women’s empowerment. Get more info here.

We wanted to share a video of what goes on during the workshops with the women. This was our second trip to Pardada Pardadi. We evaluated the production of the soapmaking group and held a packaging workshop.

During our workshop time with this wonderful group, over 350 bars were made and taken back into the U.S. to sell. As of this writing, well over 200 have already been sold. This money of course goes back into the women’s business account so that they may continue to advance their small but growing enterprise. In addition, one smaller bar of soap is donated to the Pardada Pardadi Educational Society school grounds for every bar that is purchased. The two schools founded by PPES total well over 1,000 girl students, so it is vital that they have the appropriate and necessary hygiene.

As always, we cannot thank all of our donors enough. Every dollar counts. Every single dollar. Your donation is a worthwhile contribution to what we believe is a very worthwhile effort. We believe in these women and their ability to better themselves through the resourceful craft/trade that we know and love: Soapmaking.

Thank you to all of our donors who helped to support this trip and these women!

-Amanda Gail