This is a message from  Sam Stephens Executive Director, The Global Soap Project.There is nothing like the joy we bring to people with a simple bar of soap!  Last month, I went to Malawi to visit our partners distributing our soap in the southern part of the country.  The project there is a collaborative effort between Global Soap, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Clinton Health Access Initiative, PATH, PSI, and the local Ministry of Health.  Since becoming part of the partnership last year, we have distributed soap and hygiene education to more than 5,000 pregnant women and their families each month.

In Malawi, diarrheal diseases and pneumonia combined are the leading cause of death in children, and the second leading cause of death in adults. Research by CDC and UNICEF has shown that handwashing with soap is the most effective way to prevent those deaths.

As with most of our in-country projects, we strive to complement the work being done and the health goals already in place. In Malawi, our partnership is providing soap and hygiene educaiton through an existing network of rural clinics to increase the community’s understanding of the importance of soap, how to use it, and why it is worth purchasing for their families from the local markets.  Participants are given a free bar of soap after completing a handwashing education class at each clinic visit.  Over a period of several months, this repitition encourages behavior modification to make handwashing a lifestyle routine for the mothers, their families, and the broader community.

The program has shown early success; according to the program coordinator, diarrheal disease rates have decreased significantly, school attendance is improving because there is less illness, participant families are sharing information about handwashing with others in the community, and program participants are starting to purchase local soap – meaning the impact we’re creating will be sustained long-term. The economic and health impacts show what a bar of soap can do – and how it makes a difference.

We’re grateful for your support as we work to improve health and save lives – thank you for making all of this possible!  Over the past three years, you have helped Global Soap make a positive health impact in nearly 30 countries around the world, including the US – all while diverting thousands of pounds of used soap from landfills each week.Support is grately appreciated. To donate visit: http://www.globalsoap.org/get-involved/donate/