THRISSUR: The teenager is the proud creator of Soppea, registered as an MSME. And her products, artisan soaps — both handcrafted melt-and-pour soaps as well as handmade organic cold process soaps — have found a lot of takers. What’s so special? Well, 15-year-old Elijah Sajeesh is just that. Diagnosed with 70% autism, she has proved that the hidden talents of autistic children, if identified and honed well, will provide them with an avenue to live fruitful and self-sufficient lives.
“Soppea is Elijah’s language for soap,” says her mother Reny Sajeesh. Soppea took root during the lockdown last March. “Confined indoors, Elijah was all worked up. She has to stay engaged constantly,” says Renee, who lives with her daughter and toddler son at Karuvankadu on the outskirts of Thrissur.
Elijah doesn’t watch TV or read books or attend online classes. So her brain needed fresh stimulations. “I introduced her to soap making. We began with the melt and make kits, all basic. But I was in for a surprise when she began searching soap-making techniques on YouTube and trying out her own blends,” her mother says.
The soaps were organic and the first batches were used up by family and friends. “Soon the amount of soap increased. Once, I ended up having 10 buckets of soap bars. After a friend offered to sell her soaps, her customer base slowly increased,” Reny says.
Elijah’s soaps are distinct, and she does everything herself. “I’m not allowed to even suggest ingredients or fragrance or colour,” says Renee, who has set up a website — www.soppea.in — showcasing Elijah’s creations. Elijah’s father, Sajeesh Sidharthan, is a software engineer. Elijah is a student of St Joseph’s Special School, Cheroor, in Thrissur.