Kikondo, UG – Zinabala VICOBA starts new business that supplies liquid soap to schools – Aug 2023

Zinabala VICOBA met to start their new income producing investment by learning to mix the ingredients of liquid soap for sale. Member Gladys stirred the soap ingredients that her husband transported from Kampala, and led the training. The group has saved investment money from interest it earns from giving out loans to members. Through trainings from Wamukisa, the VICOBA as a group is investing in new business ideas that are being proposed by VICOBA members. Profits from the businesses are divided among the members.

The VICOBA bought ingredients costing 30,000/= shillings / US$ 800 that can make a 40 liter batch of of liquid soap. Ingredients include salt, ungalo, caustic, sulphuric acid, CMC, water, perfume, and coloring. Members each took home a portion of the first batch made in training to sample for cleaning. They will continue to use bar soap for bathing and bring comments about the liquid soap to the next weekly VICOBA meeting. Hills Primary School bought the remaining 20 liters. Every two weeks Hills Primary School will buy 40 liters of liquid soap sold at a cost of 80,000/= shillings / US$ 22, for a profit of 50,000 UGS / US$ 13.50 to the VICOBA.

Members who are parents of students attending other local schools are asking to expand Zinabala’s soap market to those schools. Kikondo Primary School and Rogan School already have placed orders. The VICOBA hopes selling a product for good sanitation at local schools will be a business that can earn income to add to its income from credit lending, staple crop growing, and bee keeping.