Grow Nepal Soapberries

Soapberries (Sapindus Mukorossi) Plantation-2020

Due to the massive devastation the Gorkha earthquake has caused in 2015 we were not able to expand our soapberry plantations as planned in the last years. But we were able to collect a budget of 18,000$ from Grow Nepal incomes and contributions of our business partners to start expanding and growing this project again, starting in 2020. We are aiming on planting at least 2000 trees every year.

In June of 2020 the seedling phase of this project will be started. The new trees will be planted in private as well as public land. Grow Nepal will provide all needed materials and necessary support throughout the project and will keep on educating the local communities about organic and sustainable farming. Thanks to this project more than 300 households will be benefitted in different ways on a long term basis.

Not only do soapberries have wonderful benefits for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, in harmony with nature, they are also having a positive environmental impact on climate change due to CO2 reduction, prevention of soil corrosion and are by providing shade and a habitat for wildlife. The high amount of the natural surfactant saponin this fruits contain are a natural replacement for harmful chemical detergents.

Our previous experiences with implementing soapberry plantations, has shown great results in having a positive impact on the social and economic wellbeing of these rural communities. We are grateful to be able to have a positive influence on the future of our country and to the health of people and nature through this project.

At the moment we are working on an associates & trading membership program. We are going to encourage all of our customers and stakeholders to become a part of the membership program and provide regular membership fees, which are going to be used for the expansion and improvement of our soapberry plantation projects. This is going to help us tremendously in having regular funds coming in for the project so we have a foreseeable budget every year.

Soapberries (Sapindus Mukorossi) Plantation-2014

With a budget of 13,500$ provided by Grow Nepal and our partner companies we were able to establish two soapberry plantations in the areas of Gorkha and Nuwakot from June to July of 2014. These amazing fruits of the soapberry tree have wonderful benefits to offer for sustainable and healthy living and are becoming more and more popular all over the world.  They contain high amounts of natural surfactant, this is why they can replace chemical detergents that are very harmful to the environment and health.

In the two plantation sites we planted around 3500 soapberry trees and are delighted to see the fruits of this project in the last years. Not only are the soapberries itself such a precious gift of nature, and the trees have a great environmental impact by controlling land degeneration, soil erosion, helping to reduce CO2 emission and providing and protecting natural habitats for wildlife, but also the plantations serve a greater purpose for the rural communities. With this project we also promote organic farming through educating and encouraging these rural communities. To be able to contribute to the social and economic balance and development in these areas, and to see the positive effect of this project for the people involved, makes us very happy.

It is very important for us to establish fair trading conditions and fair salaries for our workers. We want to ensure a sustainable way of farming and trading, so this project will be able to support the communities and future generations not just temporarily but on a long term basis.