Homemakers empowered through soap-making, digital marketing workshop in Sri Aman

KUCHING (Nov 4): A basic training programme on natural soap-making and digital marketing was successfully held last Saturday at the Event Digital Hub in Sri Aman to provide local homemakers with new skills and opportunities to enhance their earning potential.

Project leader Assoc Prof Ir Ts Dr Siti Kudnie Sahari said this free programme, specifically designed for unemployed homemakers, aims to empower them in entrepreneurship and digital product marketing.

She also mentioned the programme introduced the concept of green engineering in soap-making as a sustainable approach.

Each participant was provided with a soap-making kit, giving them the tools needed to directly apply what they had learnt and start a home business.

“In line with the aspirations of the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 agenda, the main goal of this programme is to strengthen local entrepreneurships through eco-friendly soap-making and digital marketing,” said Siti Kudnie, a lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) and Deputy Director of the Unimas Entrepreneurship Centre.

According to her, green engineering supports the PCDS 2030 vision for sustainable, inclusive economic development.

“We aim to equip participants not only with basic soap-making skills but also with insights into using natural, environmentally friendly ingredients that reduce environmental impact,” she added.

She explained the project was funded by non-governmental organisation (NGO) grant from the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, and organised by the Association of Technologists and Technicians Sarawak (APTT) in collaboration with lecturers and students from Unimas.

Siti Kudnie, also a researcher at Institute of Sustainable and Renewable Energy (Isure), said the project also published a book on soap making in both the Malay and Iban languages, making it accessible and relevant to the local community.

She explained this book served as a comprehensive guide for participants, equipping them with the knowledge to make natural soap products.

She said this initiative also aligns with Unimas’ vision and mission to actively empower communities through education and innovation.

The collaboration between Unimas and the Sri Aman community is expected to foster resilient micro-entrepreneurs and inspire more women to achieve economic independence, contributing to Sarawak’s socio-economic growth.

In addition to natural soap-making, the digital marketing session provided participants with practical skills in leveraging digital platforms to introduce their products to a broader audience.

The digital marketing segment of the programme was led by Unimas Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities Deputy Dean of Student Affairs Dr Nur Auni Ugong.

She also shared strategies for online marketing, including the use of social media platforms to promote products.

These skills are essential to expand market reach and improve the competitiveness of local products.