Aarohi Livelihood Center

On June 23 the group spent our morning at the Aarohi Livelihood Center. This center manufactures natural handmade soaps, scrubs, oils, herbs, jams and chutneys, linens, and wools. It is a nonprofit organization and everything benefits the villages directly.

We were split into four groups of three to better participate in the different stations. My first station was the herb packing facility. I was asked to turn little white cloth bags inside out so that the seam wasn’t showing. Then Joe (a fellow student) would use a thin stick to make the corners clear. It was a simple task and I was happy to help. While I did not do as much as I had hoped, I’m sure every little bit helps. The room was filled with the aroma of rosemary, thyme, peppermint, and more. The next station was the apricot oil station. Unfortunately there wasn’t much for us to do, but we were taught about the machines and the process. I love being in that room because the smell is calming and very pleasant. You walk in and instantly playfully smacked in the face with the smell of pure apricots. I also enjoy the different textures of the materials used. It all starts with an apricot kernel (seed). These are put into a grinder which produces both a type of bark which is dried out for at least 15 days and then sent off to be turned into a powder for scrubs, and it makes the oil. It fascinates me how efficient this material is. It yields a decent amount of product which is in demand. The third station was the soap making station. We got to watch them prepare jasmine soap batter. I never realized how time consuming it was to make soap bars. Mixing the batter didn’t take too long, but it was being told the duration of the drying process that surprised me. My final station was the packing station. It was a very simple task of putting stickers on jars and making sure everything matched up. I really enjoy it when things are aligned. It is one of many weird quirks. We had finished all of the jars and I was disappointed to not be able to continue.

I love visiting the Livelihood center. I have spent a fair share of money in their shop buying gifts for those important to me. It makes me happy that I can purchase a wonderful gift for someone and it benefits the village surrounding.