Canadian education charity empowers students in the Caribbean
In a small classroom at Nueva Creación de Fe, a school in the Dominican Republic, the students were filled with curiosity, and a faint clean scent was in the air. Sixth-grade students gathered around a table, watching intently as their teacher Idania guided them through the process of creating something simple yet essential – soap.
These students were learning to make organic hand soap, laundry detergent and even makeup remover soap. For many of them, this was more than a science experiment. It was a lesson in sustainability, entrepreneurship and faith-filled stewardship.
“I was so impressed,” recalls Jen Lewis, co-impact program manager at EduDeo Ministries whose head office is in Hamilton, Ont. “It was wonderful to see that they were learning a skill they could use at home and even turn into a business one day. Who doesn’t use soap?”
EduDeo Ministries is an international development agency focused on advancing Christ-centred education around the globe. They provide support for school infrastructure, teacher training and student bursaries. Education has been proven to be the most powerful tool for lifting people out of poverty. For every additional year of schooling, a person’s average income increases 8–10%. 
In communities where resources are limited, practical skills can make a world of difference. Many families in the Dominican Republic live on tight budgets, and buying household products can be costly. By teaching students how to make soap from affordable, organic materials, Idania is equipping them with a tool for both economic resilience and environmental care.
“If they can take raw materials and make something that lasts longer, it’s more economical for their families,” Jen Lewis explains. “And because the products are organic, they’re caring for creation at the same time.”
This initiative reflects EduDeo’s investment in teachers, particularly the Teaching for Transformation framework which helps teachers integrate faith into every lesson. Students aren’t just learning chemistry. They’re learning what it means to honour God’s creation by using resources wisely and sustainably in a hands-on way.
Christian entrepreneurship in action
Soap-making is more than a practical skill. It is a gateway to entrepreneurship rooted in biblical values. These students are learning that business can be a way to serve others, care for creation, and glorify God. In a culture where economic opportunities can be scarce, the ability to create and sell a product like soap offers hope and dignity.
Students are being trained to ask questions such as, “How can my work reflect Christ? How can my business bless others?” For these students, making soap is an introduction to that mindset. They see that their creativity and effort can meet real needs in their community. They learn that work is worship and that innovation can be an act of love.
Jen Lewis puts it beautifully: “It’s not just theoretical. It’s something they can use right away. And it’s sustainable. I loved that the teacher was intentional about that – organic, practical and environmentally conscious.”
Soap-making at Nueva Creación de Fe is more than a classroom activity. It’s a glimpse of what education can be – relevant, empowering and rooted in faith. It’s a reminder that when we teach students to create, we teach them to hope, to see possibilities beyond their circumstances.
Victoria Veenstra is communications manager at EduDeo Ministries.