CHIPS: SLSU’s extension project to fight against COVID-19
Spearheaded by the Office of External Linkages and Extension Services (ELES), Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) conducted a 3-day extension program called “Clean Homes Initiatives as Practices and Services (CHIPS)” starting on December 10, 2020. This activity is undertaken to fight against COVID-19 disease through liquid hand soap production.
Studies recommend the use of liquid hand soap not just for hands but also to sanitize surfaces rather than the use of bleach or other chemical cleaners. Likewise, liquid soap found to be more effective than an alcohol-based agent for reducing virus contamination on human hands, when used at the right level.
The CHIPS aims to educate beneficiaries on making Liquid Hand Soap Product. It also focuses on training them on marketing the products and capacitates them in basic data management.
The extension program seeks to assess the socio-economic characteristics of the beneficiaries from the municipalities of Libagon, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo—all in the province of Southern Leyte. Training and production of liquid hand soap will also be taught to the beneficiaries from the same municipalities. Part of conducting CHIPS is a series of seminars on Product Marketing and Financial Literacy, and Data Management and Bookkeeping. To ensure sustainability, community visitation as well as interviews will be conducted to determine the application.
The Southern Leyte State University is mandated to conduct extension activities to the community and its stakeholders thereby performing the trust and priorities of the university. CHIPS serves as an initiative and mitigation in fighting against COVID-19 and at the same time provides means as alternative income generation to least and poor households.
The conduct of CHIPS will run until December 12, 2020. This extension service expounds on the relationship and linkage between the community and SLSU as the lone Higher Education Institution (HEI) in Southern Leyte.