Processing Coconut Oil into Health Products (Youth Entrepreneurship)

By: Petrus Maure, S.Kom

In this workshop, a lecturer from the Faculty of Chemistry of Tribuana Kalabahi University, Faryda Veronika Lamma Koli, S.Pd., M.Sc. presented material on "Processing Coconut Oil into Health Products". In principle, chemistry has natural chemical elements and artificial chemical elements, and she also explained how to use natural and artificial chemicals in order not to damage nature.

In her presentation, she explained that almost all-natural ingredients around us can be used for skin health products, for example from fruit extracts for skin vitamins, such as oranges, papayas, pineapples, 'lerak', and also extracts from flowers such as sunflower, aloe vera plants. Oil extracts besides coconut fruit are from walnut oil, peanuts, Moringa seeds, also castor seeds. The existing local natural materials should be explored as much as possible in line with the development of knowledge and technology.

Another important point that was conveyed was, "Most of the skin health products currently on the market are made from synthetic chemicals. There are also natural ingredients, but the amount is relatively small. Products made from synthetic chemicals are not environmentally friendly when they end up in the environment, because they are difficult to break down by soil ”.

"Skin health products made from natural chemicals, for example, bath soap made from vegetable oil and lye, will be more environmentally friendly because it does not damage the soil. By buying and using environmentally friendly products it is the same with reducing our ecological sins,” she explained.

At the end of the material delivery, Farida also conveyed messages from the campus, especially from the Head of the Chemistry Department; "For now, there are very few students who are interested in studying Chemistry at Tribuana University. This activity also introduced the world of chemistry, also helped the public to understand its application which is very important for human life and nature”.

Hopefully, in the future, there will be more and more young people who are interested in studying chemistry for the benefit of the local natural resources. It will be useful and valuable if education with certain knowledge can apply their knowledge in society to solve all existing life problems. Indeed, it takes cooperation and goodwill from all elements, so that all the complex problems of life that exist can be solved from upstream to downstream.

As a presenter, she explained the purpose of this activity and how this activity came from Stube HEMAT Yogyakarta. The material that she presented was "Utilization of Local Materials Using Simple Technology". In her presentation, she brought the understanding to all the participants that all existing local natural products have a good value if we can use them well. Good value to fulfill the daily life and to have high selling value when they are processed professionally using applied technology should be done and promoted.

In this activity, Rev. Sanci Oan, S.Th, the head of the GMIT Salem Pasi assembly also attended and accompanied them during the workshop. It is expected that the church members, especially the youth, can be more enthusiastic and have a good influence on the life of the church members. The struggle of the church for the life today is a weak economy. The current church is self-supported, it requires the activeness and cooperation of all parties and members of the church to live up to a better church atmosphere.

At the end of the activity, there was an economic empowerment team of Alor Timur Laut (ATL) level,  the vicar Sepriato Snae was collecting data on the potencies of forest products in the church area. He said, "Market opportunities are open for all-natural products if they are finished as ready-to-use products".

To find out the market opportunity the youth were given a challenge to produce 100 bottles of 100 ml virgin coconut oil (VCO). The group is also allowed to participate in ecclesiastical events and to market all forms of our creative products. This workshop activity was very satisfying and immediately received a serious response from the church because it was appropriate with the church program at the GMIT-NTT Synod level for community economic empowerment. As a form of the seriousness of the participants and the church's support, a coconut oil processing business group was formed during the meeting of the church's marketing team. ***