From Ugandan refugee to successful entrepreneur, CEO, and renowned human rights activist, Derreck Kayongo's journey inspires audiences to dream big. Through personable and articulate storytelling, he will join the 2022 ICMA Annual Conference to share his visionary ideas for harnessing the power of observation and creative problem solving, applicable to any organization or community. It’s all about taking responsibility while looking for opportunities to improve.

Kayongo is the founder of the Global Soap Project: a humanitarian aid organization that collects discarded and unused soap from thousands of hotels worldwide, reprocesses it, then distributes it to in-need populations around the world. The project was born from his observation of how much soap is available in hotels, and how much is thrown away when hotel rooms are turned. This observation turned into a simple, yet innovative idea that is now battling global health issues in 90 countries. Hygiene-related diseases, and the resulting deaths, have dissipated in many at-risk communities, thanks in part to Kayongo’s creative problem solving.

The energy and enthusiasm levels are unmatched as Kayongo brings his stories and principles to life. He identifies the key factors of his personal and professional success with the memorable acronym S.E.L.F.: Service, Education, Leadership and Faith. He calls upon his dynamic experiences to empower audiences, inspiring an entrepreneur spirit made possible only through creative problem solving. Kayongo’s emotionally packed presentations linger long after his speech, empowering audiences to invent their own self-made motto of success so they can create tangible change in the world.

In creating this global humanitarian initiative, Kayongo demonstrates that a simple, yet novel idea has the power to transform millions of lives. That “the little guy can do something big.” It is this creativity and innovation that led him to be named a 2011 CNN Top Ten Hero and a 2014 TED Talks speaker. Kayongo’s demonstrated passion for helping others and commitment to innovative thinking led him to the role of CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. During his time as CEO, he elevated the visibility of the center on a global scale, showcasing stories of victims of civil rights abuse and the heroic actions that changed the course of history.