Meet Derreck Kayongo

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Derreck Kayongo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Derreck below.

Derreck, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

governance, operations management, and advocacy, culminating in the Global Soap Project.

Operationalizing this project was a journey of perseverance and impact. By diverting soap from landfills and redistributing it to those in need, we addressed both environmental and social concerns. Today, our efforts have influenced the hospitality industry, significantly reducing soap waste and enhancing corporate social responsibility standards. As a matter of fact, when you go to most of the hotel’s bathrooms you will see no more than three bars of soap. Rather you will see three canisters mounted on the walls of the shower room in liquid form. This is a direct result and impact of our work. The hotel industry is no longer as wasteful as it was before, because we brought a new innovation to address the issue of waste. That in essence is what happens when you lead your life with purpose.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?” My purpose-driven pursuit of environmental solutions in hotel soap waste exemplifies the transformative power of purpose aligned with moral imperatives. It demonstrates that meaningful purpose not only drives individual fulfillment but also inspires systemic change, benefiting society at large. This, my friends, is the essence of purpose-driven profit—where moral integrity meets meaningful impact.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an avid and dedicated environmentalist. I care a lot about our human plastic waste and it’s impact on the Ecosystem.
I’m currently working on getting biodegradable utensils in the market place as part of my contribution to the Green Economy. We are in the laborious process of figuring out how to recycle wooden pallets into utensils.
I seek partners in this endeavor so we can solve the plastic problem just like I did with Global Soap Project.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Don’t forget to celebrate Small things:

In the world, we often throw our hands up to celebrate the grand—those towering moments of glory that fill pages of history and fuel tales of greatness. But too often, we fail to pause for the smaller moments, the stitches of effort and whispers of resilience that shape the fabric of achievement. The truth is, every monumental creation once began as a whisper, a breath of a dream others might dismiss.

Patience and persistence are not noisy virtues. I’ve seen it in my own path—the days spent building the Global Soap Project, one bar, one hour, one call at a time. Not a sudden burst of glory, but an unyielding spirit that kept showing up, trusting that each small step was carving the road for others to walk upon. Just as a gardener places seeds in the soil, believing that time and nurture will bring forth blooms, we learn that the daily practice of small acts creates fields of change.

And oh, the courage to start small. I remember my mother’s quiet prayers, her steadfast voice that hummed hope even when it seemed thin as air. There’s bravery in carrying a fragile idea, nurturing it through doubt and dark days. That is where we find strength—not in rushing to the end but in holding the small victories close, celebrating every step that defies fear and feeds faith.

We underestimate the power of kindness. A nod, a word, a simple act can set the spirit ablaze. My father’s silent nods spoke louder than speeches, reminding me that being seen, being believed in, can lift a weary heart and propel it forward. When we practice such kindness, we send ripples into the world, fueling the unseen strength of another’s journey.

Gratitude ties it all together. It’s in the stillness, looking back at the climb, that we see the hidden hands and whispered prayers that held us up. In giving thanks for these, we honor the quiet miracles that were essential, not secondary, to our triumph.

So as we embrace this season of thanksgiving, let us not just reach for the stars but remember the small lights along the way. As Maya Angelou said, “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” Let us give grace to the journey, to the changes made in silence, to the small moments that build our big dreams.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I’m looking for folk that have the same passion for environmental Justice and who have the whetherwithal to bring solutions to the plastics problem in particular. Financial, engineering or any other complimentary skills, I would treasure.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @derreckkayongo
• Facebook: derreckkayongo
• Linkedin: derreck kayongo
• Twitter: derreckkayongo@gmail.com