Jesza Alvie (left) with her kids Mary Vianna, 1 (center) and Val Louie, 9, (right)
It was the need to find cure for her little nephew’s skin irritations that drove a 31-year-old mom to try making her own organic soap.
Jesza Alvie Semilla is a licensed midwife and a full-time mother of two, who makes her own pure malunggay soap at home as a hobby that turned into an online business. And it started way back in 2019.
Malunggay or Moringga leaves—a common plant you can just find anywhere here in the Philippines, has been used as a common food staple of Filipinos, especially here in Cebu.
Malunggay soap | Photo by Jesza Alvie Semilla
Guava soap | Photo by Jesza Alvie Semilla
Blue Ternate soap | Photo by Jesza Alvie Semilla
But this 31-year-old mom has turned this simple plant into a solution for skin problems.
“We tried different cream and ointments na with Pedias prescription pero mobalik2x raman gihapon, that was the point nga naka-idea ko what if magduk2x kog kalamunggay unya mao akong e tambal and it did heal most of his wounds pero struggle kaayo ang sigeg dukdok kay ang green nga pigment sa kamunggay dugay kaayo makuha sa kamot maong naka-idea ko nga, what if himoon nakong sabon,” said Semilla.
TLC
Her malunggay soap is good for skin irritations such as sun burn, wounds, pimples, prickly heat, dandruff, insect bites, and for facial wash.
Semilla started making malunggay soap and later on tried making soaps from Guava leaves extract, Blue Ternate flower and Green tea with brown rice.
The soap is organic with no artificial coloring and no preservatives. But she said the main ingredient to her soap is that they are “homemade with tender loving care.”
Semilla then used the internet to learn the what and how of making the malunggay soap.
For Semilla, being a full-time mom and an online entrepreneur is like hitting two birds with one stone.
“Since I’m a mother of two and medyo bantayan pa ang usa, I get help from my nephew for some of the deliveries ra kay sa soap making ako raman mismo mohimo kay wala man koy particular nga time sa paghimo kay e-insert raman nako kanang matulog akong baby or busy siya og duwa maong slightly challenging sad ni nga sideline for mothers,” she said.
“Super advantageous kaayo for moms who do little businesses ang e-commerce at present, as in so much help kay like me nga di kalugar og suroy sa products,” she added.
Of course, the soaps were tried and tested by her own family and friends before she started to sell them through Facebook.
Semilla proves that being a full time mom is not a hurdle to making your passion and hobbies come to reality.
“To my fellow mommies, it’s hard to start when you’re a devoted full-time mother but trust me, in a matter of time, you’ll find ‘its easy as it goes to the peak specially with the help and support of your family and friends but do not forget to prioritize your time with the kids,”
/bmjo