By Kefiloe Kajane
With the winter season showing signs of tightening its grip, it is in time for Franjo Rub, a rubbing balm produced by Joalane Mohale under the National University of Lesotho’s (NUL) Innovation Hub platform.
Mohale told theReporter that the rubbing balm is made from sage plants extract found in the country. She said the product is highly effective in protecting the skin against cold.
Mohale explained that she realized how people faced many challenges with the weather now that it is winter season. Some people, she added, are experiencing muscle and joint pains due to the cold period.
She and her colleagues realized that most medicines were consumed making them think about something that would be used directly on the skin o beat the cold.
She observed that their aspiration was to find some plants that would directly heal the arthritis. They extract the fluids from these plants and turn them into a rubbing stuff for use on the skin as a balm.
“This is something that we really needed for skin to beat cold. We intend to increase the production of the ointments. This is the medicine that people really need to use if they want to beat the cold weather. The ministry of health should acknowledge this products as medicine,” said Mohale.
She continued: “We made this balm with a mixture of what Basotho called ‘selonse.” As young people we need to recognize and use our own plants in order to produce home- made skin balm. This is one of the means of earning the living,”
Their ambition is to establish a factory where they would produce the balms in larger scale and possibly for exportation to other countries.
She indicated that they received a positive feedback from Basotho that have used the balm saying that it is highly effective. This, she noted, has been one of the sources for them to aspire to produce more as demand is increasing.
“We are currently waiting for certificate of approval from the ministry of health which we hope we will receive this week. That will help the medicine to also be available at our local chemists,” Mohale said.
Franjo rub is available at NUL Innovation hub or through the number 59888173.
