India’s first soap recycling program

By Heather Johanssen

After spending time in Thailand, Sundara’s founder Erin met children who had never even seen or used soap. When she returned home to the United States, she learned that this was true of many other developing countries.

1,350 Indian children die of preventable, hygiene related disease each day. 70 million Indians have no access to soap or can’t afford it, according to the company.

Sundara employees underprivileged women in Mumbai to collect waste soap and create new bars, which are then distributed to children in some of India’s poorest slums.

("Sundara’s mission is to reduce preventable hygiene-related deaths by creating sustainable soap recycling programs for underserved populations around the world.")

I find that pretty hard to believe that there are Thai kids who have never seen soap.

Indian children maybe,but defiantly not Thai children,Thais

shower at least 2 times a day,and where are they going to

find this waste soap to recycle ?, when the soap gets to small

to use I just piggy back it on the new bar,now my daughter, she

wants to use a new bar,if the old one gets halved used.

regards Worgeordie,

This does not ring true to me as I find Thai people in general to be exceptionally clean (I'm talking bodies here...their yards maybe not so much.)

Family connections have taken me into some of the more dirt-poor homes of rural Isaan. There is always at least a tatty piece of soap in the shower shed/room. I charge Erin with bull$itting for effect! Maybe some remote tribe in the far North? Proves nothing in the manner she wants to prove.

Perhaps the general can sue her for defaming Thailand

Well back in early 90's Wife's village in Nakhorn Nowhere, 25 Ks from nearest town, had a purpose built Hong Nam. A Frang style throne, bucket of water to flush and in the large shower area soap, shampoo too much.

Always considered Thai's very clean folk better then little old me.

john

In fairness she didn't say she'd met a lot.

There are blind people that have never seen soap.

There may be a few in the mountains who don't use much soap. I've seen some quite dirty kids in tribal villages without road access. One of them had a dead bird in his right hand and sucked some sugary stuff with his other hand. He was probably building a helluvan-immune-system.

Thai children who have never seen soaps, on the other hand... no, they don't exist!

Cheers, CM-Expat