Surge for Water, a global women-led, community driven nonprofit dedicated to providing sustainable water plus sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and menstrual health solutions, is proud to announce a significant milestone in its ongoing partnership with personal care brand Soapbox: more than 1 million bars of soap have now been produced and distributed to communities in Uganda and Haiti.
This milestone reflects more than just numbers—it marks a ripple effect of transformation driven by local ownership, gender equity, and deep collaboration. Since the partnership began in 2021, Soapbox and Surge for Water have:
- Produced and distributed 1,065,574 bars of soap
- Trained 6,262 people in soap-making
- Educated 11,048 students on critical handwashing and hygiene practices
- Supported the creation of 50 formal soap-making businesses and countless informal ventures
With Soapbox’s renewed commitment for 2025, the collaboration will produce an additional 500,224 bars of soap, continuing to strengthen hygiene infrastructure and economic opportunity in the regions that need it most.
“This partnership goes far beyond soap,” said Shilpa Alva, Founder and Executive Director of Surge for Water. “It’s about restoring health, enabling education, and driving economic empowerment. By training women and supporting community-based businesses, we’re building solutions that are equitable and lasting.”
Surge’s approach centers on women because they are the primary caretakers of water and hygiene in their communities, and they bear the greatest burden when access is lacking. Yet too often, they’re excluded from the decisions that shape their lives. Surge invests in women as leaders, entrepreneurs, and advocates—offering vocational training, leadership opportunities, and safe spaces—so that every solution advances gender equity and strengthens entire communities.
“We believe in solutions that stay rooted in community,” said David Simnick, CEO & Co-Founder of Soapbox. “By partnering with Surge for Water, we’re able to go beyond products and invest in local soap makers, small businesses, and the women driving real change where it’s needed most.”
By collaborating with local governments, grassroots organizations, and partners like Soapbox, Surge ensures that all water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives are locally owned, culturally relevant, and deeply impactful. This community-centered model is a powerful alternative to large-scale nonprofits—offering donors a deeply personal and meaningful way to support transformative change at the grassroots level.
This joint effort contributes directly to goal six of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals—clean water and sanitation for all—and is part of Surge’s larger commitment to reach 1 million people across 10 districts by 2030.
To get engaged with helping provide sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene solutions to those most in need, engage with Surge for Water by visiting surgeforwater.org.
