This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
On a typical day in Nairobi's South B, residents can be seen queuing up to buy a unique brand of soap made from onions, cucumbers, and other horticultural products. The brainchild of Martha Muriu and her husband Robert, this innovative business venture has been gaining popularity since its inception almost a year ago.
Martha, an onion farmer from Kiawara, Nyeri, had grown tired of the perennial decline in market prices of her produce, which would sometimes drop to as low as Sh40 per kilo. In a bid to break the cycle, she decided to explore alternative uses for her onions.
After months of trial and error, Martha perfected her recipe for making soap from onions and other horticultural products. The process involves slicing the onions or cucumbers into pieces and adding them to a mixture of water and seven chemicals used in making the product. The mixture is then stirred, sieved, and left to settle before being filled into plastic dishes for hardening.
On average, the couple produces 45 pieces of bathing soap and 10 pieces of bar soap from a 20-litre bucket. The beauty soaps have been found to have numerous skin benefits, including curbing acne and rashes. According to Martha, the cucumber soap is particularly recommended for people with dry skin due to its high water content and antioxidant properties.
The couple sells a piece of soap weighing 450g at Sh70, with a monthly sales average of 1,000 pieces. Most of their customers are referrals from people who have tried the soap and are eager to share the experience with others.
As they seek to expand their business, Martha and Robert are in the process of certifying their products with the Kenya Bureau of Standards. Agronomist John Wambugu notes that when doing value addition, including making soap, hygiene is paramount to ensure the products do not pose a health risk to consumers.
