Written by Administrator | 22 March 2009

Vocational Training and job creation for youth unemployed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Implementing organizations: IPO (Increasing People Opportunities), COOPI (Cooperazione Internazionale)

Tirign Aromatic Oil cooperative is the first cooperative in Ethiopia specialised in plants processing for cosmetical purposes. The cooperative is composed by 16 young people, selected among a group of unemployed persons coming from one of the poorest area of the capital city. Currently the cooperative produces:

• a balsamic massage oil;
• perfumed bath salts;
• a moisturizing body lotion;
• ointments with several properties;
• essential oils.

Over and above that Tirign is not only the first cooperative in Ethiopia specialised in phytocosmetics production, but it is also the first devoted to natural resources sustainable use. The cooperative is gratefully succeeding thanks to the new niche discovering and thanks to the professional and high grade communication and marketing strategies put in action with IPO support.

Vocational training in distillation

Distillation process is very simple: the active ingredients present in aromatic materials, such as plants, herbs or resins, are extracted by water vapour. At the end of the process it is possible to collect the essential oils, a precious active ingredients concentrate, because after cooling they turn liquid and they are not soluble in water.

Corporate image and Visual identity

Tirign cooperative’s corporate image has been tailored to communicate its values, creating a clear and univocal visual identity based on an eco-friendly and natural approach to cosmetics. In developing countries, it often happens to see fake products, such as mercury based whitening soap or even harmful and expired cosmetics sold in markets. The strategy laid behind is based on the market’s colonization rules, and on the western market’s needs to sell expired surplus in other markets.

Essential to health

Essentials oils represent the most valuable source of active ingredients available in nature which men can benefit. They represent a real “living pharmacy” for human being’s health: