The social enterprise Clean the World, a leader in global health dedicated to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and global sustainability, has announced a new partnership with Marquee Hospitality. In the initial rollout of the program, Marquee Hospitality is projected to recycle 2,717 bars of soap and prevent close to 1,000 pounds of waste from polluting landfills across the globe in 2020. With new hotels under construction and the recycling program included as a brand standard, Marquee’s impact will grow significantly in the coming years.

After her father, Mayur “Mike” Patel, heard about Clean the World at a convention, he mentioned it to his daughter, Kalisa, who took action and is responsible for driving the initiative forward. “I have long been an advocate of giving back to the world,” says Mike Patel, Principal & COO, Marquee Hospitality. “We instilled this way of life in our children, and Kalisa has always believed in giving back.”

John Hare, Client Team Sales Director at Clean the World, says, “I was very excited to work with Kalisa when I learned she was a high school student and so passionate about our planet and the people in need around the world. With young leaders like Kalisa, the future is very bright.”

Approximately 3,600 children under age five die each day – nearly 1.5 million children a year – due to hygiene-related diseases. By recycling and distributing soap and other hygiene products to more than 127 countries around the globe, Clean the World has contributed to a reduction in the mortality rate due to hygiene-related illnesses of young children worldwide.

“Helping people is an amazing thing,” says Kalisa. “I have seen my own family get sick and I want to be able to help others when I can, especially when we can potentially eradicate disease. Helping others is what changes you into a better person.”

“To see someone at such a young age take on this amazing initiative is inspiring,” says Shawn Seipler, founder and CEO, Clean the World. “It is young people like Kalisa that challenge us all to do more and to do better.” ◊