By Emily Nohr
Andrew Vrbas found himself staring out his bus window, eyes fixed on the sights before him.
That particular day two years ago, he couldn't shake the extreme poverty and the reliance on the land he witnessed during a trip through the Peruvian Andes, a path that had become routine for the then-Hastings College construction management major studying abroad, building construction projects and teaching English classes.
Vrbas, a Kansas native, returned to Nebraska with a fire in his belly to do something about the lack of access to hygiene he saw, while keeping in mind how resourceful the people of Peru appeared. From inside a spare room in his college apartment, Pacha Soap was born.
The handmade soap company still based in Hastings is aiming to “raise the bar” for business by using a buy-one, give-one model. That business model has been around for several years, at Santa Monica, Calif.-based Toms Shoes, perhaps one of the most widely known companies to use it. For each pair of Toms purchased, a pair of new shoes goes to a child in need.
Similarly, for each bar of Pacha soap purchased, one bar is given away. So when a retailer orders bars to stock its shelves, Pacha sends double the amount. Then the retailer and Pacha coordinate what local group or organization receives the free soap — such as Crossroads Mission in Hastings (for homeless people) or Girls Inc. in Omaha (for the girls).
In addition to local giving, sales generated go toward hand-delivering or shipping free soap abroad. So far, the company has hand-delivered or shipped soap to Peru, Guatemala and Sri Lanka. Last month, the company hand-delivered 200 bars to the Dominican Republic.
Vrbas, known as the “Head Jaboñero” of Pacha Soap, said his experience in Peru pushes the company to spread the word about hand washing, an act that can prevent fatal disease in developing countries. “It can save so many lives,” he said.
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