Vaseline Partners with Direct Relief

In recent years, many people across the globe and in the US have been displaced due to humanitarian crises, natural disaster or extreme poverty.  Many of these individuals are forced to live without basic necessities, such as food, water, shelter and medical care. Without access to the simple, everyday resources we take for granted, minor issues – such as dry skin – can become a much more serious health issue. Simply providing the right over-the-counter treatments or personal care products can go a long way, instilling dignity and confidence in those living in the wake of crisis and disaster.
 
To that end, Vaseline is partnering with Direct Relief, an international medical aid organization, to launch The Vaseline Healing Project, which will provide dermatological care, medical supplies, Vaseline products and health worker training to help heal the skin of five million people living in the wake of crisis and disaster in the U.S. and abroad by 2020.


In times of crisis, the need for medical services, including dermatological care, is at its highest. In these situations, where people often face prolonged exposure to the elements and the risk of unaddressed skin conditions becoming serious, dermatologists can make a substantial impact. However, only 20% of international health care clinics surveyed by Direct Relief reported having a skin specialist or dermatologist on staff. To address this gap, The Vaseline Healing Project is sponsoring dermatological missions aimed at extending skin care to those who need it most.
 
According to Unilever, 1 million units of Vaseline Jelly in 2015 were donated in 2015, and the firm will continue to donate products globally to Direct Relief's network of partner clinics and in the organization's relief kits. Through the partnership, Vaseline will also provide community health worker training on skin care. In 2015, the project traveled to Jordan, where they treated over a 1,000 patients in a week, and to the Philippines to treat people for free in an area devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, and to a rural community in Kenya where many patients had the opportunity to receive dermatological care for the first time in their lives.
 
In 2016, missions will be held in India, South Africa, Nepal and other parts of the world.

With the support of actress Viola Davis in the US, the Vaseline brand is also encouraging Americans to get involved through an easy online donation mechanism and a buy one to give one promotion, allowing others to make a difference for those in need.
 


You can watch a video Vaseline's project here:

Consumers are invited to visit Vaseline.us/TheVaselineHealingProject to build a relief kit for someone in need. The items in each kit might seem ordinary, but they are extraordinary tools to help those living in crisis and disaster. Vaseline has taken the first step by donating 1.2 million units of Vaseline Jelly. Donations like these help Direct Relief to send over $500 million in essential resources to people in need every year.
 
Throughout 2016, every Vaseline lotion or jelly purchase will support Direct Relief to deliver Vaseline Jelly, medical supplies and dermatological care to people affected by poverty or emergencies.