Empowering Youth with Skills: REWO Trains Young People in Liquid Soap Production

In the dusty yet hopeful landscape of Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, a group of young men and women gather with focused energy, measuring, mixing, and stirring ingredients. With every bottle filled and label applied, they are doing more than making liquid soap they are building a future.The Refugee Women Organization (REWO) recently conducted a hands-on liquid soap-making training for youth from both refugee and host communities in Yumbe District. The training is part of REWO’s broader commitment to youth empowerment and economic resilience through vocational skills.“Youth in the settlement face high unemployment and limited access to income-generating opportunities,” explains one of REWO’s trainers. “We introduced this training to help them gain practical skills they can use immediately either to start their own small businesses or to earn income through group production.”The training covered:

• Mixing and measuring safe, effective soap ingredients
• Branding and packaging
• Recordkeeping and pricing
• Marketing within the local community

Participants not only learned the technical side of soap production but also gained soft skills in teamwork, business planning, and self-confidence. Several of the youth have already started producing soap for sale within their zones, supporting their families and contributing to local hygiene efforts.This initiative reflects REWO’s belief that when youth are equipped with practical tools and trusted with responsibility, they can become powerful agents of change even in displacement.As one young participant shared, “I never thought I could start a business. Now, I have the knowledge and the hope to do it.”