Students from the Social Welfare Study Program (IKS) at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta organized a Social Entrepreneurship and Soap-Making Training Program for local residents at Masjid Sarimulyo in Pondok, Selomartani Village, Kalasan District, Sleman Regency, on October 14–15, 2023. The initiative formed part of a mosque-based community empowerment effort aimed at integrating economic skill development with broader community capacity building.

The program was led by IKS students Annisa Zahra Fikriya, M. Taufik Hidayat, and Berlian Sanda Pertiwi under the supervision of Noorkamilah, M.Si. The training sought to equip community members with practical skills in household soap production while introducing the concept of social entrepreneurship as a pathway toward improving community well-being and economic resilience.

The workshop featured experienced trainers and practitioners in soap manufacturing and small business development. Among the principal resource persons was Siti Purwandari, founder of the soap brand “Mulia Clean,” who shared her expertise in product development, entrepreneurship, and community-based economic empowerment.

Over the course of the two-day program, participants learned the entire soap-making process, including the selection of raw materials, mixing techniques, production methods, and product packaging. In addition to technical instruction, participants were introduced to the potential of household-based enterprises that can generate additional income while responding to local community needs.

The training demonstrated that community members were able to independently produce quality soap products by the end of the program. The results underscored how relatively simple technical skills, when combined with appropriate mentoring and business support, can be transformed into sustainable and productive economic activities.

According to Noorkamilah, the program was designed not only to strengthen technical competencies but also to cultivate awareness of social entrepreneurship as a tool for community empowerment.

“Through social entrepreneurship, communities are encouraged to build enterprises that generate economic value while also creating positive social impact,” she said. “The goal is not merely to increase income, but to strengthen community self-reliance and collective well-being.”

The initiative reflects the commitment of the Social Welfare Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta to advancing participatory and sustainable approaches to community development. By utilizing the mosque as a center for learning and empowerment, the program demonstrates how faith-based community institutions can serve as catalysts for social and economic transformation.

It is hoped that the skills acquired through the training will provide participants with a foundation for developing independent businesses or community-based enterprises capable of improving both household livelihoods and broader social welfare outcomes.