ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.,
Jan. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In
recent years, many people across the globe and in the U.S. 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 – even dry skin – can become a much more
serious health issue. A recent survey found that 67% of health
workers on the frontline of crisis and disaster say
preventable skin conditions keep people from doing ordinary things
like attending work or school.* 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.
Today, global personal care brand, Vaseline®, is partnering with
Direct Relief, an international medical aid organization, to launch
The Vaseline® Healing Project. The project 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. With the support of acclaimed actress Viola Davis in the U.S., 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.
Skin Conditions are a Common, Yet Often Overlooked
Concern
A recent survey conducted by Direct Relief among
their partner health care clinics serving people living on the
frontline of crisis and disaster in 39 countries globally showcases
the need for skin care for people living in crisis. Findings
include:
- 3 out of 4 (75% of) health workers surveyed say that skin
conditions are "regularly a complaint" or "very often a complaint"
among their patient populations*
- Over 80% of clinics surveyed say they see patients affected by
eczema, scabies or burns*
- More than half (50%) of healthcare clinics surveyed do not have
enough medicine or supplies to treat skin conditions*
Viola Davis' Quest to Heal the
Body, and in turn, the Mind and Spirit
Emmy Award
winner Viola Davis has joined forces
with The Vaseline® Healing Project in the U.S. to raise awareness
for skin issues that many who are excluded from traditional medical
systems face.
- Viola Davis, U.S.
Vaseline® Healing Project Advocate: "The Vaseline® Healing
Project resonates with me personally because having grown up in
poverty, I've seen how a minor issue like dry skin can become a
serious health concern. Being a part of something that will heal
the body, and in turn, the mind and spirit, is going to be a
highlight of my life. I want to use my platform to give this
community, both abroad and here at home, a voice."
What Can A Dermatologist Do In Areas of Need?
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. In 2015, The Vaseline® Healing Project traveled to
Jordan, where they treated over a
1,000 patients in a week – most of whom were Syrian refugees
fleeing violence. In addition, The Vaseline® Healing Project
traveled 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.
- Dr. Grace Bandow and Dr.
Samer Jaber, Participants in the
first dermatological mission: "It never occurred to us to
prioritize basic remedies like Vaseline® Jelly for a medical
mission until we traveled to Jordan for the first time," said Dr. Bandow.
"On-the-ground we realized how the simplest skin remedies –
sometimes taken for granted in our lives – can make an
extraordinary difference. We were happy to have been asked to
participate in The Vaseline® Healing Project's first mission and to
contribute to the larger cause."
Products & Training Help Provide Extraordinary
Healing
The Vaseline® Healing Project donated 1 million
units of Vaseline® Jelly in 2015 and will continue to donate
Vaseline® 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.
- Ricardo Pimenta, Vaseline®
Global Vice President: "For over a century Vaseline® Jelly has
been used as a skin protectant to help heal and provide visible
relief from dry skin. While many people don't think much about it –
beyond the treatment of chapped lips, dry skin, or a small cut –
Vaseline® Jelly is a product that has the ability to address skin
conditions in areas of crisis and disaster. Living in overcrowded
communities with exposure to the elements can lead to extremely dry
and cracked skin, cuts or burns that become much bigger problems
when left untreated. In these situations Vaseline® Jelly, a product
that we all have in our homes, can make an extraordinary
difference. Through our partnership with Direct Relief, we are
donating Vaseline® products and sponsoring dermatologists with an
aim to bring healing to 5 million people living in vulnerable
conditions by 2020."
- Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief
CEO: "Direct Relief's mission is to improve the health and
lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations, in all
50 states and more than 70 countries around the world. Many of our
healthcare partners on the frontlines report that common skin
conditions, which can lead to bigger problems, are far too often
left unaddressed. That's why Direct Relief is delighted to partner
with Unilever on The Vaseline® Healing Project. That such a
prominent global company recognizes this issue and is doing
something to help people in need means a lot and is a great example
of leadership that extends beyond the bottom line. Direct Relief,
with support from Vaseline®, will conduct a series of global
dermatological healing missions, as well as provide local
healthcare partners around the world with Vaseline® product
donations and other relevant products to help improve the skin
health of people in need."
Get Involved By Donating A Kit To Help Someone In
Need
Vaseline® invites others to join in the healing effort
to aid millions in need:
- Send Healing Tools Across the Globe: People 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.
- One Vaseline® Purchase Equals One Healing Donation:
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.[1]
- See Healing Aid All Over the World: An online aid map
will track and display where The Vaseline® Healing Project is
providing aid around the world.
- Share The Vaseline® Healing Project Story: To visually
showcase the brand's commitment to healing and the impact these
missions and products have on people everywhere, Vaseline® has
created a short film titled Not So Ordinary.
About Vaseline®
Vaseline® products are manufactured
by Unilever [NYSE: UL, UN], one of the world's largest consumer
products companies. With a more than 140-year heritage as America's
most trusted healthy skin expert and more than 30 years as a
leading global hand and body lotion brand, Vaseline® delivers
products that meet the specific needs of consumers, no matter their
lifestage or lifestyle. The Vaseline® brand encompasses six product
ranges – Vaseline® Spray Moisturizers, Vaseline® Total Moisture®,
Vaseline® Intensive Care, Vaseline® MEN®, Vaseline® Jelly and
Vaseline® Lip Therapy® products. Vaseline® products are available
at food, drug and mass retailers nationwide. For more information,
visit www.vaseline.com, www.facebook.com/vaseline or
www.twitter.com/vaselinebrand
About Unilever United States, Inc.
Unilever is one of
the world's leading suppliers of Food, Refreshments, Home and
Personal Care products with sales in more than 190 countries. In
the United States, the portfolio
includes brand icons such as: Axe, Ben & Jerry's, Breyers,
Caress, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy, Consort For Men, Country
Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Fruttare, Good Humor,
Hellmann's, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, Just for Me!,
Klondike, Knorr, Lever 2000, Lipton, Magnum, Motions, Nexxus,
Noxzema, Pond's, Popsicle, Promise, Q-tips, Simple, St. Ives,
Suave, Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto, TIGI, TONI&GUY Hair Meet
Wardrobe, TRESemme and Vaseline®. All of the preceding brand
names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Unilever Group
of Companies.
Unilever employs approximately 8,000 people in the United States – generating approximately
$8.5 billion in sales in 2014.
Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) aims to double the
size of its business, while reducing its overall environmental
footprint and increasing positive social impact. The USLP is
Unilever's strategic response to the challenges businesses face
operating in an uncertain and volatile world. See more on the
Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at
http://www.unileverusa.com/sustainable-living.
Unilever ranked number one in its sector on the 2014 Dow Jones
Sustainability Index.
All of Unilever's global factory network, as well as its US
non-manufacturing facilities and dedicated distribution centers,
have achieved zero non-hazardous waste to landfill status.
About Direct Relief
Direct Relief is a medical relief
organization, active in all 50 states in the US and in 70 countries
globally. The organization has been among the world's largest
medical suppliers to West Africa
in response to the Ebola epidemic, to the
Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan, and to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Named among
the world's 10 most innovative nonprofits by Fast Company, Direct
Relief has top charity ratings, including four-stars from Charity
Navigator and a 100% fundraising efficiency rating from Forbes
magazine. Among other distinctions, Direct Relief has received the
2014 CECP Directors' Award, the President's Award from Esri for
excellence in GIS mapping, and the Peter F.
Drucker Award for Nonprofit Innovation. For more information
visit http://www.DirectRelief.org
*Based on an internal survey of 127 of Direct Relief's
partner clinics across 39 countries
[1] In 2016, for every unit sold, Vaseline® will donate 2¢, up
to a maximum of 1 million dollars.
Excludes lip items.
Virginia
Landau/Edelman
Virginia.Landau@Edelman.com
(212) 704-4551
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SOURCE Unilever