JOHOR BARU: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Johor Bahru has joined forces with Kechara Soup Kitchen to generate income for the disadvantaged through Diversey Inc’s Soap for Hope programme.
It is an initiative by Diversey, a global manufacturer of cleaning products for hotels, to recycle used soap from hotels and turn it into fresh soap.
The hotel’s general manager, Daniel Alcaraz, said DoubleTree had a long relationship with Kechara and had been providing food for distribution to the poor.
“Through this programme, we hope to help Kechara empower the needy by creating another avenue for them to generate income by recycling used soap that we produce,” said Alzaraz during a soap recycling demonstration by Diversey’s sustainability and corporate social responsibility director Stefan Chang.
Alzaraz said the hotel planned to collect about 500kg of used soap for the programme.
“This is also in line with the Hilton Group’s aim of having zero soap waste by 2030.”
Alcaraz said it was the first such programme in the state capital and hoped that other hotels would follow suit and support the programme.
Johor Kechara head Merlin Hoo said under the programme, the organisation would invite those who were receiving assistance, especially housewives, to participate in soap recycling.
“We will either distribute the finished soap to the homeless when we provide them with food or we will get companies to sponsor them for distribution instead of having them buy soap. The money will then be distributed to the participants.”
She said Kechara provided food to about 700 individuals a week.
“This includes the homeless and underprivileged who mostly live in People’s Housing Project units.”