Business
Business

Gwinnett man’s used hotel soap leads to next global gig

By Matt Kempner
Dec 9, 2015

You never know where an idea will lead you. Just ask Derreck Kayongo, who now lives in the suburbs of metro Atlanta and was recently named CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

As a young grad student visiting the U.S. years ago, Kayongo was shocked to learn the hotel where he was staying threw away guests’ little bars of used soap. A former refugee from Uganda, he saw even the used soap as a potentially life-saving treasure.

Years later, Kayongo launched a nonprofit that has gathered, sanitized and shipped millions of bars of soap to poor countries.

Check out how he made the leap to now lead an Atlanta center with global ambitions, in the latest Unofficial Business column on myAJC.com.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

Follow Matt Kempner on facebookFollow Matt Kempner on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

A man makes a phone call in front of a train during Tracks of Hope, an event hosted by Norfolk Southern in support of Hope Atlanta, in Forest Park, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. Norfolk Southern opened its executive vintage business train, typically reserved for company leadership and dignitaries, to the public in support of Hope Atlanta. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

Norfolk Southern sale puts major Atlanta philanthropic force in question

For metro Atlanta philanthropic causes that enjoy Norfolk Southern's support, there are unanswered questions about how committed the company will be after it is acquired.

Home Depot cuts outlook amid housing slump and consumer uncertainty

Home Depot said its net income dipped to $3.6 billion during the third quarter, down 1.3% from the same period last year.

Global software firm announces Atlanta expansion with 250 new jobs

Sales software company Salesforce announced Tuesday it will invest $15 million to expand its Georgia operations, adding 250 new jobs to Fulton County by the end of 2028.

The Latest

Older model used vehicles for sale at an independent dealership in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Nov. 11, 2023. Photo courtesy of Chris Hardesty.

Credit: Special

Beyond the odometer: What matters most in a used car

Why your car’s safety tech needs maintenance, too

OPINION

Saying goodbye to the Porsche 718 Cayman — for now

Featured

Rose Scott signals as "Closer Look" goes on the air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray for the AJC 2023)

Credit: Ben Gray

Donor leaves WABE $3 million, largest individual gift in station’s history

An Atlanta resident has bequeathed WABE a $3 million donation, the largest one-time individual donation in the nonprofit media operation’s 76-year history.

Usher sues business partners over failed Buckhead restaurant plan

Atlanta singer Usher wants his money back after loaning $1.7 million to music producer Bryan-Michael Cox and others to buy a Buckhead restaurant property for $6.3 million.

Braves’ original ‘Freeze’ is retired. But you probably still can’t catch him.

As the Atlanta Braves prepare to find their next sprinting mascot, Nigel Talton is enjoying his new career coaching high school athletes at McEachern High.