Packaged to perfection

"A machine could make the soap and package it at one time. Having the packaging done separately in the sunshine homes incurs transport costs and adds two months to the manufacturing process.

"In addition, the company cannot require the sunshine home workers to guarantee quantity, so output can be unstable.

"But it's hard for anyone else to provide this job opportunity and at the same time make a terrific contribution to society, and I hope we can continue to do this for a long time to come."

The company may establish other product lines for the sunshine employees to wrap, he says.

Lu Yung-Pin, assistant professor in the School of International and Public Affairs at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, who is also a researcher for Social Organization and Contraction of the State Civil Society Organization, says: "This project will encourage more companies and social services not just to donate money, but to find a sustainable model that can produce social benefits.

"It also makes society more aware of this special group of people and provides them with support. In addition, apart from inspiring other companies and consumers, the project itself is a good way to publicize corporate culture."