Vocational training - suds for success: the Eshona washing up liquid story

In the Kanaan area of Baqubah District in Diyala Province, Iraq -  Hussein Khalaf Shakir, Zainab Saleh Shakir, and Taha Mohammed Abdul faced significant challenges in their daily lives.

Hussei (44), worked as a heavy equipment driver between province, Despite the hard work and long hours his income was not enough to meet the needs of his family of four children. 

Zainab (38), also struggled to provide a decent life for her family. She supported four children along with her husband, who worked as a farmer but their financial situation was very tough.

Taha (46), faced even greater challenges. As a farmer supporting five children and raising poultry, he suffered a tragic accident while trying to fix electrical wires on a rainy day resulting in the amputation of his leg. This accident left him unable to work effectively further complicating their lives.

Zainab was looking for a way to improve her family's situation. She set up a small market in the area to sell groceries. Unable to fully stock the market on her own, she sought help from Hussein, who suggested selling detergents like dishwashing liquid (Zahi). With this cooperation, Zainab started promoting the products she sold, increasing demand and necessitating someone with a car to deliver orders. Taha stepped in to fulfil this role, delivering orders for a fee.

On one of the social media pages, news spread that Human Relief Foundation was supporting small projects. Zainab decided to apply for a project to establish a detergent production plant (Zahi), She knew the project would require significant effort and cost, so she proposed the idea to Taha and Hussein to become partners in this promising venture.

They were interviewed by HRF and underwent ten days of training. Upon competition and with their project approved, hey received the first instalment of the funding. They divided the work among themselves - Zainab was responsible for marketing and product promotion, Taha handled the procurement of materials and tools and liaised with suppliers, and Hussein managed the project, overseeing details, accounts, and budget management.

The team faced numerous challenges, including sourcing materials from different provinces and outside Iraq, obtaining government approvals to open the project, and technical challenges in operating the machinery. However, they did not give up and worked diligently together to complete the Eshnona detergent production project.

Today, the Eshnona plant produces various sizes of dishwashing liquid and distributes it to suppliers, wholesalers, and local markets. They are ambitious to market the product across the rest of Iraq.

The Eshnona project not only changed the lives of Hussein, Zainab, and Taha but also had a positive impact on the local community, The project created new job opportunities, improving the living conditions of many families.

Hussein, who struggled with the pressures of being a driver, is now a successful project manager, able to meet his family's needs with dignity. Zainab, who once fought to make ends meet, is now a successful entrepreneur managing the marketing department. Taha, who struggled with his disability, found in the project an opportunity to prove himself and provide a decent life for his family.

The team have plans to expand their product line to include a variety of cleaning products. They’re aiming to establish distribution networks in all major cities across Iraq and eventually export their products to neighbouring countries. Their ultimate goal is to become a leading brand in the cleaning products industry in the Middle East.