Starting from Lulu – Independence of women

Have you ever seen luxury cosmetic items sold in Japan, that its ingredients including “shea butter” ?

Many trees with nuts, that are ingredients of shea butter, are found in South Sudan. Local residents call them “Lulu”, and nuts is eaten as fruits, oil is extracted from lulu and used not only for the edible use but also for the skin care.

This week, we would like to introduce you a group in Kajo Keji county acting for improvement of  the status of women.  The group is called “Bile wate ki”, meaning “Liven up women” in local Bari-language.  Group of woman are engaged in activities to earn income from lulu in the area called Bibi Gore in Kajo Keji county where JEN is acting.  They received training from an international NGO to make soaps and body oils in around 2006, and now they continue their activities with support from churches.

Oil extracted from lulu is classified to ranks A through C.  If  extracted oil is high quality classified as “A”, it will be made into body oils, “B” for food oil and “C” for soap.  Soap with plenty of shea butter will wash up our skin moist and smooth.

[Lulu nuts]



[Cracked lulu]




[Wrapping up cracked lulu and squeeze out oil in the machine]







[Oil squeezed out from lulu is boiled with water to remove impurities.]



[Soap]



[Body oil]



[They also build houses for their activities themselves.  Building up rocks on wood-frames and make plaster walls with kneaded dirt.]




[They also make honey.  Honey are sometimes sold in used plastic bottles in South Sudan,  but they use clean bottle for selling honey.]




We received a warm welcome with many smiles this day (though, they seem tensed with unfamiliar photo shoot).  Bile wate ki started activities among the first in South Sudan, where there still are very few industries. 
We would like to follow up activities of them.