Soap machine brings hope to community
Not only does a bar of soap clean a dirty body, but it also brings hope where hope was once lost.
The Ukajede Foundation has been blessed by the donation of a brand new soap-making machine.
Birchwood Hotel, Equipro and Sealed Air have partnered with the Ukajede Foundation to create livelihood by creating opportunity to enable families to make a living by making soap.
Sealed Air launched a soap recycling initiative, Soap for Hope, by using discarded soap from hotels which are made into new bars of soap.
These are then distributed to households in poor communities who do not have access to basic sanitation and healthcare.
“Access to soap is the easiest and most cost-effective way to provide basic sanitation to these communities,” says Sealed Air sales and marketing director, Cecil Makgalemele.
The soap-making machine was invented by Sealed Air global sustainability director, Stefan Phang, from Singapore.
The soap-making machine donated to the Ukajede Foundation on Monday, November 3, at the Birchwood Hotel is the second machine in South Africa.
According to Equipro director, Jürgen Hartig, they’ve started collecting soap for the Ukajede foundation six months ago.
“This project is the first one of its kind in a hospitality sector – I would like to see it grow.”
Since the project was first piloted in Cambodia, Soap for Hope has been launched in 15 countries, including Thailand, Kenya, Philippines and South Africa.
Soap recycling of used hotel soap is not a new idea, however, the costs are usually high due to collection, shipment, a centralised reprocessing plant and re-distribution.
Soap for Hope decentralises the project by bringing the initiative directly into the community located near partner hotels through an innovative, but simple cold-press method that is easy to operate.
The Soap for Hope equipment is like a soap factory in a box. It takes approximately seven minutes to make one bar of soap.
Lavender, lemon grass, coffee, or tea for example, can be added which adds to the soaps pretty look and inviting aromas.
The Sealed Air team, together with Equipro, helped set up the machine and provided training on how to make the soap to members of the Ukajede Foundation at the launch.
With the soap made by the Ukajede Foundation, the soap will be sold into poor communities, and money will be donated by Birchwood Hotel to the Ukajede trust to help uplift the community.
The soap will be made by volunteers from the Ukajede communities themselves.
“Thank you Sealed Air – the soap is going to change the lives of our kiddies,” says Ukajede teacher, Gloria Ramasunzi.
Ward Clr Hilary Coke was also present at the launch. “This is a fantastic project – know that you are making a difference.”
The machine will be based at the Birchwood Hotel and managed by the assigned Ukajede coordinator, Thembi Ntuli.
“By donating this soap machine, Birchwood has a meaningful way to recycle soap, and we are making a meaningful difference in the Ukajede community,” says Makgalemele. – @IschkeBoksburg
