The Global Soap Project is a nonprofit organization founded by Derreck Kayongo and his wife Sarah Kayongo in 2009 to effectively distribute reusable soap to countries in need. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., this group targets hotels for their often wasted resource of reusable soap. After recycling the soap, it is sent to non-governmental organizations and faith-based organizations in countries around the world that fight disease and lack of sanitation. Part of the GSP cause explains the importance and all-around efficiency of its plan.
“With 4.6 million hotel rooms in the United States, an estimated 2.6 million soap bars are discarded every day. By participating in our program, hoteliers are diverting tons of waste from the landfill and bolstering environmental sustainability programs. Hotel managers, housekeepers and guests become more environmentally conscious and more sensitive to the needs of vulnerable populations,” according to Globalsoap.org.
In 1979, Kayongo and his family fled the rule of Ugandan dictator Ida Amin and became refugees in Kenya, according to the GSP website. With the refugee experience behind them, Derreck and Sarah moved to help others, some in similar situations, by founding GSP in 2009.
Some may wonder what difference something as easy to come by in America as a bar of soap can make. The difference is best described in a FAQ titled “Why Soap?” on the GSP website.
“Soap and clean water can reduce preventable deaths caused by diarrheal and upper respiratory diseases by over 40 percent,” accoridng to the GSP website.
Lazyguys Delivery, locally owned and operated by long-time Starkville resident John Bass, fully supports the GSP. With his goal to convert every hotel in Mississippi to the cause, Bass has already helped gain the support of close to 60 hotels in the state. Lazyguys Delivery is a service in Starkville that accepts soap as a possible form of payment for making deliveries to and from anywhere in the city.
“I actually take it to Atlanta; I probably have 700 to 800 pounds of soap in my apartment,” Bass said, making his service one of the easiest ways to contribute to the cause of GSP. Because the system GSP uses only allows for the process of large amounts of soap bars, it will not accept small, individual shipments of soap. Bass would like to make known that any donations or payments in soap (bars, not liquid) are welcome.
During a regular stay at a hotel at least one bar of soap is normally used. Picture the millions of Americans daily using one bar of soap, only to have it thrown away when they leave the hotel.
The GSP plan is to have each hotel collect the soap to be sent to its warehouse in Georgia. There it is sorted because the soap can only be made in each type or brand. Then it is heated, filtered, made into new soap, lab tested for purity and pathogens and allocated to NGOs and other groups that will make sure the bars are placed into the right hands.
There are many ways to get involved with GSP. Hotels across the country can be offered this option of soap disposal, which is environmentally friendly as well as tax deductible. Regional coordinators are needed to help manage the collection and shipment of soap to the GSP warehouse and jobs are open in the Atlanta warehouse to make soap. Fundraisers can be held to raise donations, and business owners can consider the benefits of making shipments of soap to Atlanta.
Global soap
project
For info contact [email protected].
Lazyguys Delivery has specials on Facebook, and orders can be made on Twitter as well as by calling 546- 0666. To help locally with the GSP, call John Bass at 720-940-6723. Also, donations can be made directly by mail to 6901 Peachtree Industrial Blvd. Norcross, GA 30092. Donations are especially encouraged because GSP is currently trying to raise funds for a new machine to process soap. GSP information is available via Twitter, Facebook and
Globalsoap.org.
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Innovative, new charitable organization gains support
E.J. HODGE
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September 12, 2011
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