This unit, developed by the Third World Science Project, is designed to add a multicultural element to existing science syllabi (for students aged 11-16) in the United Kingdom. The project seeks to develop an appreciation of the: boundless fascination of the natural world; knowledge, skills, and expertise possessed by men/women everywhere; application of knowledge and skills to solve the practical problems of everyday life; impact of modern technology in the world; and the influence of the cultural background on the perception of knowledge, problems, and solutions. The unit begins with a brief history of soap-making in Britain and the small-scale preparation of soap in Third World countries using local knowledge, skills, and materials. This is followed by: (1) experiments related to soap-making practices by Ghanian villagers and the chemistry of banana ashes; (2) discussions of applying science to industry in Ghana soap-making (considering acids/bases/salts, sodium/potassium soaps, caustic soda manufacturing, and electrolysis of brine) and the general theory of soap-making (focusing on raw materials, equipment, soap manufacturing processes, and packaging); and (3) a brief description of how palm-oil can be obtained from the pericarp of the oil-palm fruit and its use in village soap industry. (JN)