GIVE Project: Bali Asli Soap Factory Marketing Program

High in the mountains of central Bali in the village of Pupuan, I tour a small soap factory called Bali Asli. Bali Asli is a social enterprise; the Bali Asli team has established a series of small scale, locally rooted industry projects that process local, natural resources into a wide range of resaleable products.

Bali Asli is a community-based business whose mission is to create jobs in one of Bali's poorest regions while generating profits that support local community projects. Bali Asli's most notable contribution is to the local school system, which is almost completely unfunded by the Indonesia government.

Earlier in the day, I visited 2 local schools largely funded by profits generated by Bali Asli products…

Yet, the production capacity is too low to make the type of impact…

I am visiting to perform a field study of the Bali Asli production system, including a survey of the requirements to import Bali Asli products to the United States. Bali Asli has been run by Richard and Maya since 1986.

As I spend time with Richard and Mya, I am impressed by the potential of this type of small scale industry to help develop local economies in Indonesia. Today, these small industries are one of the area’s largest employers.

In 1999 the owners of Bali Asli joined forces with other local enterprise and education experts and formed a non-profit foundation called Yayasan MACK.

Today Yayasan MACK works closely with Bali Asli and other local businesses to support local NGOs and community programs by clearly demonstrating the viability of establishing self-sustainability through ethical, environmentally sound small-scale production industries.

About the Bali Asli Products

Bali Asli produces a wide range of environmentally sound, natural products, including:

• Natural Beeswax, glycerine and liquid soaps
Bali Asli soaps are hand made and hand packaged by local women from the village of Batungsel, Pupuan. They are also great for the end users as they are made from completely natural ingredients and contain glycerin and natural moisturizers, which are gentle and beneficial for skin and hair.

• Natural household cleaning products
Bali Asli’s 100% natural household cleansers & laundry detergents are made with essential oils that have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal & natural cleansing properties. They are economical as they are made in concentrated form, and you only need to use a small amount to clean your clothes and home completely naturally.

• Natural insect repellent products
Bali Asli has developed affordable and safe solutions to natural mosquito, ant and other pest control. Their 100% natural pest control products are made with natural oils and pure essential oils that have been tested for safety and effectiveness in keeping your environment free from pests.

• Natural Jams, Jellies, Condiments and Sauces
All of the Bali Asli food products are made from fresh local tropical fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. They contain no preservatives, colorings or artificial ingredients of any kind.

For more information about Bali Asli see:
http://www.balispirit.com/baliasli.htm