Africa

Larry Plesent Featured in The Herald of Randolph

May 15, 2013

Martha Slater of The Herald of Randolph recently wrote an article about Vermont Soap’s president Larry Plesent, discussing his work in Africa. Larry Plesent is passionate about helping people and he’s also passionate about making soap. As owner and chief formulator of the Vermont Soap Company, based in Middlebury, which makes all-natural soap and cleaning products, he combines the two during annual trips to the western part of Africa. Read the full article here.

Read More

Improving the Productivity and Profitability of Artisanal Soap Making in Liberia

March 26, 2013

Assignment # J692A This assignment combined two scopes of work into one assignment. I started with working sessions at five Monrovian soap making sites staffed by individuals trained under the previous assignment. I then went North to Nimba County and taught soap chemistry at Nimba County Community College. We ended with a practical demonstration with students and local villagers who attending the training. Background: During the recent Civil War soap making companies fled Liberia and the people were left without this basic commodity which is the cornerstone of health and hygiene. In the interim, NGO volunteers introduced a kind of…

Read More

Larry Returns to Liberia

March 19, 2013

Dear Friends, This month’s Green Energy Times column is being written in a small northern village in Liberia, West Africa where I am once again working with local people to improve the quality of their soap products. We use palm and palm kernel oils crudely pressed just outside of town. I show them how to mix wood ashes with lime or salt and lime with water to make different types of caustic, an essential ingredient in making soap. They ask me to bring nice scents and colors from America to pretty up their bar soaps. Instead I show them how…

Read More

Training Manual for a Village Soap-Making Operation

December 7, 2012

Presented by Larry Plesent and Sandy Lincoln with assistance from Ezra Nkrumah This manual was created based on experience in the field at Asawinso Village, Western Region, Ghana, with the Asawinso Cooperative Oil Palm Millers Association (COPAMA), and sponsored by Self-Help Foundation, Winrock International, SHOPS Liberia, ACDI/VOCA and USAID. This manual is intended as a guide to the creation of a village-based liquid and bar soap operation; basically a small factory. All equipment is made from generally available materials and all ingredients are locally sourced. It is most important that the group learn to approach this endeavor with a spirit…

Read More

In-depth Information on Making Potash

December 7, 2005

Potash is the byproduct of running water through ashes, and an essential ingredient in village soapmaking. For an in-depth article on making potash – click here.    

Read More

Improving the Shelf life of Shea Butter in West Africa – Part 2

March 7, 2005

This post was written from Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana. We are now into our third week in Ghana. Sandy has run around Tamale getting the forms to make the Nasia Women’s Cooperative official. They gave her the forms, but then she had to go somewhere else to get them copied. Fees are paid everywhere. Then a long hours drive to meet with the inspector. He claims we must pay for his gas, time, and processing fee, so he will come to meet with the women and explain the requirements (this turns out to be completely false, he is hitting us…

Read More

Ghana 2005 Solar Shea Drier Mission

March 7, 2005

Sponsored by USAID Farmserve Program and OIC International Larry Plesent – Volunteer This solar shea nut drier, or drying tunnel, is based on the original work pioneered by Dr. Peter Lovett PhD., of Tamale, Ghana. Dr. Lovett is the world’s foremost technical expert on shea trees and shea butter, and I am grateful for his help and support on this project. Special thanks to USAID (your tax dollars at work) for contributing to our mission, and to OIC International, the local NGO that took care of us in Ghana. Many thanks go out to WATH; the West African Trade Hub…

Read More

Improving the Shelf life of Shea Butter in West Africa – Part 1

February 28, 2005

This post was written from Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana. We arrived in Accra, Ghana one week ago via Amsterdam. Sandy, my life partner, Harry, my 18 year old nephew, Bob, a new friend and USDA Organic Inspector, and myself had managed to schedule three nights in this lovely city. There is something to be said about zoning building heights; the 7th story of our hotel had a magnificent view of the rooftops of the city. The city is set out in a roughly circular arrangement, and a healthy person can walk the diameter in three hours or less. We saw…

Read More

Creation of a Village Level Essential Oil Distillation Unit

May 7, 2004

Note: This unit can also be used to purify drinking water Overview Essential oils are the aromatic oil based compounds produced by many common herbs, flowers and trees. EOs exhibit well documented anti fungal and anti microbial properties. They add value and help to preserve cosmetic products and soaps, and can aid in the daily battle against skin fungus in developing regions. The under $100USD EO distillation unit grew out of a USAID funded Farmer to Farmer assignment. Our mission was to increase the quality and marketability of locally produced Alata soap, made in villages through out West Africa. Locally…

Read More

West Africa – Issues and Challenges

March 7, 2004

The world is changing rapidly. Societies that have lived in equilibrium with their ecosystems for thousands of years are now wrestling with issues of deforestation and the droughts that inevitably follow the large scale cutting of trees. Overpopulation threatens every aspect of biological life. Technology brings mixed blessings. In our compassion to relieve suffering and reduce infant mortality, we create even greater suffering through overpopulation and the ecological devastation that follows in it’s wake. We must always remember the basic rules of biology; for example, that an increase in the food supply creates an increase in population. Development and family…

Read More