Contact
The Global Soap Project is headquartered in the King Plow Arts Center in Atlanta, GA.
Our mailing address is:
Global Soap Project
P. O. Box 94021
Atlanta, GA 30318
Or, email us for more information.
The Global Soap Project from Global Soap Project on Vimeo.
Derreck Kayongo, a humanitarian relief expert, whose family fled Uganda during the tyranny of Idi Amin in 1979, explains why he founded the Global Soap Project and how it saves and improves lives one bar of soap at a time.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Derreck and Sarah,
I saw your story on the news and I thought it was a wonderful idea. I have had a similar idea of collecting books from the school systems to ship them to Kenya and build libraries in the villages. As you know the school systems discared their books that have so much a a torn page, you know that means nothing to us. As you may have guessed by now, I am from Kenya.
I was hoping you would help me with ideas as to how I can start a project like yours. I have had the idea for a long time but have been paralyzed by its imensity when I think of storage, shipping etc….
In the meantime I wish you good luck in your endevour and wish you much success. By the way I live in Athens, Ga.
I saw your project on Atlanta 11 Alive News. I understand you need processing equipment. The Clorox Company, who I used to work for, has allot of the equipment you need just in their different bone yards. They are always looking for good tax write offs especially if they can get good publicity for it. Contact their advertising staff in Oakland California, Corporate Home Office. The Jackson Plant in Pearl Mississippi probably has some of what you need out in the truck shop.
Good Luck
Hello,
My name is Robert Connely. I too live in the Atlanta area and am very moved by your cause. I recently returned from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where I helped to launch the Ph.D. program in computer science at AAU. While I was there I took notice to many of the life struggles which we westerns take for granted every day. Most notably the inhumane conditions throughout Sub Saharan Africa. Ever since my return, I have been intrigued in the philanthropic activities conducted by ‘Clean the World’ (http://www.cleantheworld.org/), a quite similar nonprofit organization aimed at recycling soap for the underprivileged throughout the world. I am thrilled that an organization such as yours is actually so close to home and I wanted to write to say ‘Thank You’ for all your efforts and I truly wish you the very best.
Sencerely,
Robert
Hello Millicent, Joe and Robert! Thank you so much for your encouragement and kind words! Robert, we are familiar with Clean The World and look forward to learning from their success in Haiti. Thank you all for your support, and please check back to our site often for updates!
Hello,
My name is Christina Jefferies and I live in Charleston South Carolina. I read about your program in an article of the Post and Courier and would very much like to help either by collecting soap or helping to proccess soap. Please send me information and let me know how I can help.
Thank You
Christina Jefferies
Hi Christine, thanks for your offer! You can send soap to the address on this website, or make a financial contribution if possible!
I just saw a story about this project on the local news. What a wonderful and amazing idea! Such a great thing you are doing, keep up the good work.
Wow, what a great idea. I was moved by the story. I can’t imagine living in a world with not enough money for soap. I want to help. Please let me know what I can do. I live in New Jersey.
Thank you
Hello!
I saw your story on the news in St. Louis — you are reaching farther than the southeast now! I was wondering if individuals could send in used soap? My dad is always wondering what to do when the soap gets small…
Best of luck!
Becky
This is a wonderful tool for the Africans more especially the Ugandans who have suffered a lot from poverty. many still can not afford to buy soap. Some people still use paw paw leaves for washing the clothes and the fruits of a latex tree for smeering, i too did that though i can now afford to buy a bar of saop for bathing, Derreck, Thanks for that project.
I work for a hotel in delray beach,fl.(Crane’s Beachhouse) we would like to donate to your program, please have someone contact me either by e mail, or my cell # 609 247 4337. Thank you,
Nicholas Balestriere
A special note of thanks to The Soap Project for their kind contribution of soap to New Song of Grace Uganda. The Soap Project has just shipped their first batch to Africa! No doubt much work has gone into getting this grassroots project off the ground, what is needed now is donations to get the soap to its impoverished destinations. I have seen the poverty conditions where soap can mean the difference in sickness and health and life and death because soap is an unaffordable luxery in many places. I hope everyone who is moved by this project will join me and countless others to make a monetary donation to cover the cost of shipping. No amount is to small, look what Jesus did with a few loaves and a few fish. My sincerest thanks to everyone who has taken and will take part in this project. God Bless You All.
I think this is a brilliant idea!
Here’s a crazy idea to possibly explore: envelopes at the front desk or in bathrooms for guest to take the initiative! Maybe this would get more hotels on board rapidly?
I think a lot of travelers would participate (I myself am a routine business traveler). And if participant numbers at a particular hotel reach critical mass, then maybe the hotel would become a member company … i.e. upgrade from guest-mailed envelopes to recycling EVERY bar of soap!
Good luck with all of the efforts!
P.S. I found out about this by reading Derreck’s bio … he’s speaking at my Alma mater this week (Feb 3).
Hey Derreck and Vicki: How wonderful the project has come so far! Still there is the issue of cost to ship to the vunerable people who need the soap. Also, hoping the soap will get into the hand of the one who needs it and not those who seek selfish gain. I know you have been thoughtfully considering the best way to acheive this while hoping for donations enough to get it to where it is going. Soap is a constant thought in my mind for reasons you already know of, because of the real need. We all get wild ideas but few act on it. I have been interested and reading by an author Jack Wheeler for awhile, and one article came back to mind this morning. I am providing the link… http://www.tothepointnews.com/content/view/2992/44/
The name of the article is The Next Great Adventure.
Everyone who post here who says “great idea” please put a dollar sign on it and mail it to this project. We Americans take for granted how richly blessed we are. This project has personally blessed me and those who are especially dear to my heart, and there are others that need this blessing.
Not Thanks Enough Soap Project,
Sherrie
I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Kayongo speak (and sing) at the IMPACT Speaker series at Georgia Tech on Feb. 3rd. Your dedication is, to say the least, impressive. Thank you so much for inspiring us all to do good in this world. I’ve been humming the tune you taught us all evening. I would love to hear you speak again & I’ll be checking back frequently to see your updates.
Again, thank you for sharing your dream with the world.
Hello,
I work for Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites in Laramie, WY 307-460-2100. We would like to participate in your program. Please contact me and let me know what I need to do.
Thank you,
Dena Styskal
Executive Housekeeper
Thanks for your comment Dena. We will be contacting you soon!
I work at a hotel that is interested in participating in your program. I would like to find out more information about Global Soap Project. Can you please call me when you get a chance?
Thanks,
Erica
321.392.1668
someone should nominate Derreck Kayongo for a CNN heroes award .if he wins he will get some money from cnn that will be put towards this project.Plus it will bring awarness of his project to a larger group of people .someone who knows him has to do the nomination on the cnn web site .
Thank you Mary, we think Derreck is a hero! We’re very focused right now on developing the operations of the organization which includes finalizing our 501c3 status as a non-profit – key to raising funds! Once that is complete and we have seen a few more shipments to Africa, we believe Derreck will be a great contender for the award!
Thanks Erica – we will contact you. You can also fill out the form on our “Hotel Check In” page here on the website.
Thanks Nicholas – please fill out the form on our website under the tab marked “Hotel Check In” – we will be in touch as soon as possible!
Hello Derrick,
I am Monica Swann, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of a nonprofit youth leadership development organization located in Snellville, GA. I am currently looking for ways to get the youth involved in community projects and The Global Soap Project sounds like an excellent opportunity.
Please let me know of how we may be of assistance to your organization, whether cleaning soap to packaging we are interested in assisting with this awesome cause.
We can be reached via e-mail at tasplace@gmail.com.
Thank you and looking forward to assisting you in the near future.
Monica Swann
Dear GSP Team,
I am very enthusiastic on and bout the whole program in that it utilizes the skills and motivates people to donate for the underprivileged.
Youths in Action has been collecting books and pencils for kids in arid and semi-arid zones in Kenya, as well as recruiting volunteers to work with us in East Africa.
We are greatful to quote that every effort to give back to the community counts.
Kudos.
Hi,
I was greatly inspired by Derrick’s video clip. I reside in Canada and am curious as to whether this project has reached any major chains up here. I am personally unable to take on such an endeavour, but perhaps this might be an ‘overlooked’ resource that could be investigated.
Keep up the good work!
>CONGRATULATIONS !!!— Include us on your Mailing List–for our prayer list.
> what volunteer opportunities do you have in your Home Office ?
The Nkosi Family.
Nate and Muriel – thank you very much! Please check out our Get Involved page to learn about how you can help out!
Hi Michael – we have a few hotels in Canada that are interested in becoming a Global Soap Hotel, but we have not figured out cost effective logistics. Currently, unless a hotel is within driving distance of Atlanta, we must ask the hotels to ship the soap to our processing facilities at their expense. We are hoping to have regional warehouses set up that will dramatically reduce these costs (soap is heavy!). Stay posted!
Thank you Monica! Please check out our Get Involved page for more information about volunteer opportunities. In the meantime, I’ve forwarded your information to our Volunteer coordinator.