George Street Primary School pupils look to save the rainforest by making palm oil free soap for Torfaen Enterprise Week

Year Five pupils at the school have been learning about the rainforest in class, and have discovered the effect that deforestation is having on the rainforest creatures.

The students felt so passionate about helping to make a change that they have dedicated to use their enterprise product to help save the orangutans.

They decided to create and sell palm oil free soap for their project, as one of the key reasons for deforestation is for the use of palm oil.

According to Rainforest Rescue, EU countries used a combined 7.7 million tons of palm oil in 2017.

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The pupils will also use the opportunity to raise awareness of the issue by engage with members of the public when selling the soaps.

It's all come about as part of Torfaen’s third annual Enterprise Week.

Team leaders Teagan Cheshire and Acacia-Eve Graham said: "Our product is called ‘Sweet Soap’ and it is palm oil free.

"We are doing this to help save the orangutans and their homes.

"Instead of picking the fruit where the oil is located, people cut down the rainforest to collect palm oil.

"Orangutans are becoming extinct because of our actions, so now we are taking action and promoting awareness through our palm oil free soap."

As well as tackling an important issue, the Enterprise Week aims to offer the children the chance to receive tips and advice from local businesses and experience what it feels like to manage and run their own business.

(Year five pupils Alisha Lloyd, Liam Lynn and Jack Challenger at George Street Primary School with the palm oil free soap they have made in class.)

The group's design artist Dilhan Dilki said: "This opportunity has been a fantastic experience for us as not many school get to take part.

"I have enjoyed seeing what fantastic scents are on offer when designing the product and also working as a team to make important decisions such as what budgeting on essentials.

"We really hope people come to the market to buy our product and go away with a clear message about the consequences of deforestation."

The soap will be available to buy from Pontypool Indoor Market from 10am on Monday July 8. Bars and bags of soaps will be on offer in six different scents and designs, and prices will range from £1.75 to £2.

The project is part of the annual Torfaen Enterprise Week, where schools across the borough twill be developing and selling their own products at the Pontypool Indoor Market between Monday, July 8 and Thursday, July 11.

Joining George Street Primary will be Blaenavon Heritage, Cwmffrwdoer, Griffithstown, New Inn, Penygarn and Pontnewydd primary schools.