Derreck Kayongo, CEO of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, was born in Kampala, Uganda, just before Idi Amin Dada seized power in a military coup. As violence spread through the country and civil war erupted, Kayongo and his family became refugees in Kenya. He later immigrated to America and attended college.

Though best known as a 2011 CNN Hero and founder of the Global Soap Project, Kayongo is a renowned expert in environmental sustainability and global health. In 2016, the Georgia State Senate passed a resolution recognizing Kayongo's incredible journey from refugee to CEO.