AMHERST - When Kevin Moforte and a group of volunteers were in the Dominican Republic a couple of years ago, they asked the community what they most wanted.

The answer was easy - water and jobs.

With money they raised and volunteers, they built a cistern that provides water to 150 families in Las Malvinas in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

Now they are tackling jobs through Upward Ventures.

Moforte, who was raised in Chile, came to the University of Massachusetts for a master's in public policy. While studying, he became involved with Mercy House, a church that serves the Five College community.

And it is in the kitchen of Mercyhouse that he and Lois Grandmaison, an administrator at Mercy House, and others are learning to perfect soap making so they can teach the women how to make the soap themselves. The goal is to create a business that can grow, Moforte said, and lead to other businesses.

They learned the importance of that early.

At first the women wanted to learn to make and sell jewelry. So volunteers here learned and taught the women that and they did well, Moforte said. They sold out. The only problem was they sold the jewelry to their neighbors who didn't have the money to spend.

They realized to be successful they "needed to bring revenue from outside (the community.)"

They considered "products that make their lives better," like peanut butter, he said.

But they "came up with soap." Sanitation issues are vital for the community that lacks a sewer system and soap is important for them and can save lives. So they came up with Esperanzo Soap.

Every year about five million tourists visit the island and he said, they "want to bring back home a souvenir."

Moforte and others believe that the all natural hand-made soap would be that remembrance.

The goal is to create between 13 and 15 varieties that are all natural products made from the aloe, coconut, mangoes and other products of the Caribbean.

"The women are illiterate under educated... they're grew up in poverty" and that is being passed on to their children. But they want to work and if they do that could upend the cycle and the women are excited. They want to educate their children and he said and for them to have a better life.

Besides perfecting the recipe, they have to raise $75,000 and have launched an Indiegogo fundraising campaign.

The money will pay Moforte and the woman for a year, equip a soap factory and lab, pay for materials and a used pick-up truck. He said they will not only train the woman how to make soap but to be health promoters as well.

Casey Chon, a volunteer who attends Hampshire College, believes in the project and tweets about it and asks for donations. "I think it's new kind of approach." As a social business the intention is "to change the world. To fix a problem and not just give charity. The idea is fantastic." She believes it will be successful if they can raise the money.

To donate or to learn more visit the website.