Making own cleaning products with Botanina

By: Kukuh Samudra

On Sunday, May the 8th, 2016 Kail House received guests from Botanina. Botanina develops homecare and skincare products from natural ingredients. Guided by Botanina, Kail staff with participants coming from various backgrounds intended to create their own cleaning products. The workshop participants were more than 10 people. At the time of introduction, they admitted how curious they were to create their own cleaning products.

In the beginning, Kak Tina and Kak Olva of Botanina explained the initial formation of their organization. Kak Tina, as the founder, had the thought of making home cleaning and baby care products when she was pregnant.

Tina thinks that typically people do not understand the process and materials used to make cleaning and baby care products on the market and the fact that these products actually contain synthetic ingredients that have negative side effects for health in the long term.

According to Tina, nature actually has given everything to us. She admitted to have wept when applying her self-made natural Telon oil to her baby. "Thank you universe, you have protected my baby," she said. There are two types of products developed by Botanina, namely household cleaning products and body care products. Currently the focus is on developing household care products, because there are already many other organizations that develop body care products. Tina added that nowadays many of us pay more attention to the aesthetics of the body rather than the health of the family.

Botanina began in developing their products since five years ago, but the marketing started about two years ago. The products they develop are diverse, ranging from soaps, oral hygiene products, natural pesticides and air freshener.

In the workshop at Kail House participants made some cleaning products, ranging from toothpaste, mouthwash, furniture cleaners and natural pesticides.

To make toothpaste ingredient needed were salt, baking soda, cacao, charcoal (powder), honey and coconut oil. These materials are full recipe and can be simplified according to availability. The main property of toothpaste is abrasive, ability to help the process of tooth remineralization and in paste form for easy use. "The foam effect on the toothpaste is actually only a suggestive of a cleaning effect," said Olva.

Botanina colleagues added that we often obsessed with very clean teeth so clean that kills all the bacteria in the body. The main purpose of a cleaning product is not to kill all the bacteria but to create a balance of ecosystems in the mouth so that the beneficial bacteria can stay alive.

Charcoal powder and baking soda both are examples of abrasive ingredients, so they can be interchanged or complementary. Cacao and salt both are needed for tooth remineralization process. Lastly, the coconut oil is used to dissolve the ingredients and honey to make the taste more palatable.

The next product is mouthwash. The materials used were simple and often encountered as spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Boil all materials together. Once cool, add salt and a little baking soda as cleaning agent.

Moving to make furniture cleaner, an important point to note is that knowledge of material properties and functions. To make glass or metal furniture cleaner, we need the alkaline material. We dissolve baking soda with water and a bit of vinegar.

To repel insects and pests, Botanina introduces a mix of 10 essential oils. Every insect or pest has its own fears to a certain flora. For example, mice are fear of coffee, while mosquitoes are afraid to lavender. To make natural pesticides, we can use a mixture of essential oils dissolved in water in a spray bottle. Instead of camphor, a few drops of the mixture on a piece of flannel fabric can be hung in a closet. Needed to understand is that essential oils are extracts of plant oils processed by distillation technique to have similar concentrations of 50-fold.

Making own cleaning products is pretty easy as long as we recognize the nature and function of materials to be utilized as well as the process of making safe and natural.

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Let's Create Your Own Cleaning Products

By: Tien Widiyaningrum

A housewife would not want to come in contact with various cleaning products every day, ranging from detergents, dishwashing soap, toothpaste, floor cleaning soap and so forth. But, did you know that regular cleaning products we buy in the shops nearby were not all safe?

Cleaning products were initially created to ease daily activities. But, many of us do not realize the danger of the impact of commercial chemical-based products, ranging from long-term effects for the health of the family and environmental pollution caused by production processes and waste. Because of this concern Botanina and Kail House did a cooperation to conduct a workshop on how to make household cleaning products with a base material easy enough we encounter every day.

The workshop was held in Kail House on Sunday, May 8, 2016. The event began at 10:00 and finished at 13:00. It was attended by 24 participants from different regions and backgrounds, ranging from students to housewives. This time, Olva and Tina from Botanina took turns telling how to make toothpaste, mouthwash, all-purpose cleaner (liquid and powdered versions), pest and germ control, wood cleaners, and floor cleaning soap. Not only that, Olva and Tina also explained in details the functions of each of the base material used in making these cleaning products.

Participants were enthusiastic. Many of them asked interesting questions, animated the atmosphere in the workshop. There was also one of the participants whose children were particularly sensitive to commercial cleaning products so she was so excited in participating in the workshop. Some other participants hoped that they can figure out how to make natural soap, but unfortunately Botanina could not do that due to the fact that soap making process is complicated and lengthy. Perhaps at another time Kail House can have another chance to hold a workshop specifically to make natural soap for the participants who are still curious. We'll wait.

translated by: Bernadetta Tarigan

Kail Learning Day (HBK) : Homemade Fermentation: Kombucha and Kimchi

By: Perswina Alaili 

Opening, by Melly Amalia (KAIL) and Dhila Baharuddin (Tepian Collective)

KAIL (Kuncup Padang Ilalang) held Kail Learning Day (KLD) on Sunday, March 6 Maret, 2016, with theme of Homemade Fermentation: Kombucha and Kimchi, with Dhila Baharudin (Tepian Collective) as resource person.

The weather at the time was cloudy, a little drizzle and windy. Participants started gathering at 09:00 and the event started around 10:00. The participants were divided into three groups. Participants KLD this time consisted of children ages 9 years and the mothers/housewives. Dhila opened the event with a history-making kimchi in Korea.

Making Kimchi

Kimchi is a vegetable with a mixture of various spices preserved by fermentation methods. It is usually consumed as a side dish, can be consumed directly or can be cooked into soups, as sautéed greens, and others. Kimchi is generally made of a type of vegetable chicory, but in its native it is made from various kinds of vegetables that available locally. It can be stored for a long time and is useful to meet their daily food needs.

Fermented kimchi is done by using biological agents such as bacteria to decompose various substances in foods to be more easily digested by the body. The event of making kimchi together called "kimjan" and can be done in spare time while hanging out with family.

Dhila explained about ingredients needed to make kimchi (left and right) 

Kimchi is typically made from various types of vegetables, but the most popular is of cabbage, carrots, and cucumber. In Korea, the whole kimchi is sliced before being presented as complementary foods (side dish) at the dinner table. It can also be cooked again as a mixture of sautéed beef, chicken, pork, and other vegetables, or even made as flavored spicy and sour soup. Eating kimchi can nourish the digestive tract since we consume good bacteria when eating kimchi. Fibers and nutrient contents in vegetables are also more easily digested by the body because it has been through the process of fermentation by bacteria. Kimchi can also be sprinkled with sesame seeds to add delicacy. In addition to soup and vegetables, kimchi can be made into pancake mix, fried rice, or kimbap (rice rolls Korean style)

The materials and equipment needed has been provided on the tables (see pictures above). They include chicory, carrots, cucumber and spices that are needed such as chives, celery, garlic, ginger, onions, and soy sauce.

At the workshop, participants stored kimchi sheets in plastic food boxes. These sheets are arranged stacked in the solid state. Kimchi can be directly consumed or saved. In 2 days, the sealed boxes are to be inflated so you need to be careful when creating and storing kimchi that you have made.

Making Kombucha

Furthermore, Dhila also has prepared materials for making kombucha tea. Kombucha is a drink that contains very little alcohol. This drink is also made by fermentation. Biological agents used are colonies of bacteria and fungus called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) shaped in the form of sheets, similar to Nata de Coco. Scoby is a mixture of bacteria Acetobacter with yeast that is generally the species Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Zygosaccharomyces bailii.

The principle of making kombucha is to make sugar solution, give enough Scoby seeds and fermented for more than 7 days. Yeast will change nutrients and sugar into alcohol (very small quantities). The bacteria will break down the bonds of sugars and nutrients contained in the solution so it is more easily digested by the body. This is the reason why kombucha is safe for consumption by diabetics, as glucose or fructose has been converted into a type of sugar that is easily digested by the body.

Dhila explained components needed to make kombucha (upper),
Scoby seeds (middle) and tea mixed with sugar (lower)

Kombucha can also be used as vinegar by way of keeping it longer until it reaches high acidity. This vinegar can be used for cooking and also for cleaning agent. In addition to kombucha and vinegar, if you like sour candies or pickles, you can also soak the fruits (or other ingredients such as orange peel, ginger pieces, etc.) that you like in a solution of kombucha. Then, they can be consumed and served with sugar so they taste sweeter.

Kail Learning Day was closed with a lunch with menu kimchi and vegetables that have been made by previous participants. Although quite short with very affordable/cheap registration fee, participants get a lot of benefits in the form of knowledge and happiness to share with other participants. See you at the next edition of KAIL Learning Day!

"TEMANI AKU BUNDA" - with Irma Winda Lubis

Movie discussion @ Rumah KAIL



"My friends were angry with me. They said that because of me, the teachers get problems. I just tried to be honest. My parents teach me to always be honest." (Abrar)

This documentary is about the journey of a child in the face of national examinations (UN) in the month of May 2011. Two days before the UN, Abrar and his friends were asked by her teacher to participate in a collective agreement in their class, that they may co-operation and exchange exam answers without telling anyone, including their parents. This meant Abrar and his friends were told to cheat. How was Abrar reaction to this? What did their parents do when they knew this? What was the action of Irma Winda Lubis (Winda /Abrar's mother) facing this issue?

Kail organized this event at the end of series of National Examination 2014 for elementary school students to high school to remind that in these days and ages, noble values​​, such as honesty is very expensive. As parents, we can take an important role to help our children, the future generation, to implement these values​​. The process was not simply just by saying, but more importantly through our actions. More effective lessons of value application can be shown by our behavior. It will be meaningless for the children, if we only tell them in word, but in practice we do the opposite. When this happens children will face a dilemma (and even up to the stress and trauma), which could influence the life in the future.

We live in a system that is not ideal. A lot of problems we face in this current system. So much homework to be done for creating better living for all, including in education sector. We need to work together to create a conducive environment so that our children can grow at their best potential. One of the enabling environment is providing space for children to express themselves honestly and simply so they can be in their true selves. As adults, we are responsible for ensuring the availability of these spaces.

That is the subject of discussion after watching the movie together at KAIL House last Sunday, June 1st 2014. This event was hosted by Dhitta Puti Sarasvati, KAIL volunteer from Jakarta and assisted by Deta, KAIL volunteer from Bandung. About 25 people from various communities, partners and individuals attended the event. They were excited to watch the movie together and discussed the content afterward. This activity was originally scheduled to end at noon. However, the discussion has been continued until over lunch time. Therefore the formal discussion had to be stopped first and then be followed by an informal discussion over lunch and finish up at 3:30 pm.

Many lessons can be derived by participants from this process. Hope that this initiative can be useful for the people who need this.
***

Books from unused paper and clothes

In 15 of  May 2014, KAIL held a workshop for creating books from unused paper and clothes. This workshop was led by Navita Kristi Astuti (Vita) from Arumanis Craft and attended by women from Cigarugak Village. This event was held from 9 am in the morning until around noon. During the event, all participants were actively made their own books using their unique creativity.

Arpillera Workshop at KAIL House

On KAIL Learning Day, Sunday, April 27, 2014 KAIL held a workshop on Arpillera (the quilting art for social change). Since morning, KAIL House, which located in the village of Cigarukgak women from around the place gathered together. They enthusiastically participated in the workshop which was held regularly once a month. Approximately 10 housewives attended the workshop.

The event was facilitated by Melly, KAIL Program Coordinator and Selly Agustina, KAIL Facilitator. After the opening by Melly, the activities was continued with an explanation of what is arpillera by Selly who also part of KAIL creative team. The explanation started with the explanation of the history of arpillera i.e. as a form of protest of mothers and wives, whose husband and sons were victims of state violence by General Auguste Pinochet of Chile. At that time arpillera can be a media for trauma healing, delivering secret messages, and channeling negative feelings. The difference of arpillera from the normal patchwork is the meaning behind the art work by creator.

After a brief explanation of arpillera, Selly then invited participants to practice directly how to make arpillera. No special sewing expertise needed in making arpillera. We just need willingness, thoroughness and patience in making it. Women is usually familiar with sewing work. They look very excited and pour their ideas into the design, forming a pattern and then stitch it patiently. Since many participants were old mother, the only difficulty they faced was how to put the thread the needle hole, when the hole is very small.

Two hours passed very fast. Before the event was over, the facilitators invited the participants to share stories about the meaning and message in their work. Most of them depict rural scenery with trees or other feminine things related to their daily lives as mothers. Although some participants seemed very shy to tell their stories, however a sense of pride from them can be seen clearly.

Finally, the workshop was closed with a group photo of all participants and KAIL staffs.