Why Hygiene Products and Diapers Matter for Refugee Families

Basic items like hygiene products and diapers for babies and young children are essential for health, comfort, and dignity—but they’re often hard to come by in refugee camps. Let’s take a look at why these everyday items are so important.

Hygiene products like soap, sanitary pads, and toothpaste may not seem like life-saving necessities. But in reality, these items are incredibly important for health and wellbeing. Without access to basic hygiene products, refugees can easily become susceptible to illnesses that can be prevented with proper care. According to research from International Medical Corps (IMC), “inadequate sanitation practices can spread diseases such as diarrhea, acute respiratory infection and skin diseases that can lead to malnutrition.” IMC also notes that access to hygiene products is particularly important for women and girls in refugee camps because it helps prevent gender-based violence caused by lack of access to menstrual supplies or other basic needs.

Diapers might seem like an obvious need for very young children, but when it comes to refugees—especially those living in overcrowded camps—diapers are essential items that are often overlooked by aid organizations. For starters, diapers help keep babies clean and comfortable which reduces the risk of rashes or infections caused by wet clothing or bedding material left unchanged too long. Additionally, diapers provide an extra layer of protection against waterborne illnesses which can be particularly dangerous in refugee camps where poor sanitation is common. This puts less strain on already overburdened healthcare systems in these areas as well as helping keep babies healthy and safe from harm while they wait out their time in the camp until they can be relocated elsewhere.

Despite the clear importance of these products, access to them remains a major issue for many refugees. According to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), only 31% of refugees have access to adequate sanitation facilities, and just 44% have access to soap for handwashing.

Since 2015, Goodwill Caravan has played an important role in supplying hygiene products and diapers to families in Mainland Greece, along with other organizations in the field. This past January alone, GWC assisted 256 families with hygiene products, diapers and clothes.

We would like to thank organizations like Christian Refugee Relief, Attika Humanitarian support and UNHCR who donate the items we need to run our daily distributions.

For refugee families basic items like hygiene products and diapers may seem small but they play a huge role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of everyone living in the camp. Providing this type of aid is an essential part of any relief effort aimed at helping refugee families get back on their feet again after being displaced from home. It’s also a great way for humanitarian organizations to make sure that even the smallest members of these families are taken care of during difficult times. By providing hygiene products and diapers we can ensure that these families have what they need most so that they can stay healthy and safe until they can find a place where they belong once more!