I ran into a reference to the Clean the World Foundation a few days before the earthquake in Haiti. The nonprofit grew out of the seemingly petty question that flits through the mind of most travelers: what happens to the little bars of soap and mini shampoo bottles left behind after checking out from a hotel? Thinking about the question–and the scale of waste implied–Shawn Seipler and Paul Till began a program to collect unused soap remnants, half-empty shampoo bottles, and other toiletries, recycle them, then distribute them to aid agencies and nonprofit groups–especially ones that serve children in areas threatened by disease. The soaps, which have had impurities removed before being repackaged, help fight the spread of infectious, parasitic, and diarrheal diseased that take a particularly heavy toll on children.
The organization had already established a presence in Haiti over the course of 2009. Following the earthquake, Clean the World quickly moved to build partnerships with nonprofit groups and businesses working to bring aid to the area. In particular, the group is working with Royal Caribbean to ship hygiene supplies and has recently joined an effort to use corporate jets to transport emergency provisions and medical personnel to Haiti.