Turning Waste to Wash: Training of Trainers for Students in Section 46 Usrah In Action

By, Adibah Amir

How do you turn something as seemingly worthless such as used cooking oil into a symbol of sustainability, empowerment and hope? The answer lies in the Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop for students from Section 46 of the Usrah in Action course at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) where they transformed used palm cooking oil into cleansing soap. The project, supported under the komuniti@UniMADANI grant and held in collaboration with Green Waste Selangor, marks a significant effort to blend environmental sustainability with economic empowerment for the nearby community of Kampung Sungai Pusu.

The ToT session, held on 23 May 2025 at Kulliyyah of Engineering, IIUM Gombak Campus, introduced students to a low-cost, eco-friendly method of recycling used palm cooking oil, an often-discarded pollutant, into usable, biodegradable cleansing soap. With the guidance of experts and support from Green Waste Selangor, students were trained on both the technical and educational aspects needed to deliver similar workshops to the community. It is more than just a class activity. It is a real-life application of Islamic principles of cleanliness (ṭahārah) and stewardship (khalīfah fil-ard), and an impactful step towards community empowerment in Kampung Sungai Pusu.

Under the guidance of experts, students were trained in both the technical process and community facilitation skills needed to replicate this initiative in the field. Using the cold process soap-making method, which requires no heating and is energy-efficient, they explored everything from oil filtration and saponification to chemical safety, soap curing, and packaging.

And the results? A humble, handmade soap with the power to scrub away grease from dishes, lift stains from laundry, and even clean dirt from floors, an impressive outcome that amazed many participants. Many students were excited, they couldn’t wait to share the technique with their families, eager to recreate the magic in their own kitchens.

But the project did not stop at chemistry. Students also engaged in entrepreneurial thinking, learning how this soap-making process can be scaled into a micro-enterprise, especially for women and youth seeking side incomes. Cost breakdown exercises taught them how to calculate material, utility, labour, and miscellaneous costs, and they even discussed environmental savings, like how preventing oil from being dumped into drains reduces CO₂ emissions and water pollution.

The upcoming phase will see students applying their training in real-life settings through a community workshop in Kampung Sungai Pusu. Residents will be invited to learn and participate in making the cleansing soap, with Green Waste Selangor facilitating the proper collection and management of used cooking oil from households.

This hands-on project is a living example of IIUM’s Sejahtera academic philosophy in action. It demonstrates how knowledge, when paired with compassion and creativity, can bring meaningful change to communities. The Usrah in Action course gives students more than just theoretical understanding, it offers real-world exposure to societal challenges and empowers them to contribute actively to national development goals.

Together with the komuniti@UniMADANI grant and Green Waste Selangor, this project is not just cleaning up the environment. It’s cleaning the path for future generations to innovate, serve, and lead with heart.***

Figure 1: Participants in action Figure 2: Participants ready to start

Some samples of dishwashing soap

(These are views of Dr. Adibah Amir, who is affiliated with the Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering, Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, which do not represent IIUMToday’s.)