In the Mechmech area, the association Amel, in coordination with the NGO HuSoMe, is working with women and families living in collective shelters.
In these difficult living conditions, access to hygiene and essential products becomes a daily challenge. An awareness session on personal and menstrual hygiene was therefore organised, together with the distribution of kits suited to the needs of women and girls.
Beyond the products distributed, these activities also make it possible to pass on essential information and to create a space for discussion around subjects that sometimes remain difficult to raise.
Simple but essential needs
In collective shelters, the lack of privacy, limited access to sanitation and overcrowding make women’s daily lives considerably harder.
Sanitary pads and intimate wipes, but also clothes and a few simple items such as a torch or a whistle, can then mean far more than mere objects: they help preserve dignity and bring a sense of safety.
“Being a woman in a collective shelter is not easy. Access to the toilets is limited, and many of us have to share them. Receiving sanitary pads and intimate wipes is much more than a comfort: it means regaining a sense of dignity and peace of mind for the weeks ahead.”
— Testimony of a 38-year-old woman
Informing so people can better protect themselves
Awareness-raising is an essential part of this work. The participants were able to talk about personal and menstrual hygiene, with information that was appropriate and accessible.
“The session on personal and menstrual hygiene really did us good. The information is explained clearly, and the kit lets us feel clean and meet our needs as women, especially during our periods.”
— Testimony of an 18-year-old young woman
Passing on this knowledge is particularly important for girls, who may face these questions in settings where living conditions make such conversations harder.
“I am glad my 10-year-old daughter was able to attend this session. These are subjects we don’t always dare to talk about, especially in conditions of displacement like these, but hearing them explained by an organisation makes them simple and accessible for her. In the evening, thanks to the kit, we go over together what she has learnt.”
— Testimony of a 36-year-old mother
Regaining a little everyday safety
The work is not limited to needs related to menstrual hygiene. The kits also contain items that meet other everyday needs.
For people living in precarious conditions, this attention can help restore a sense of dignity and safety.
“Receiving simple things like socks or a hijab does us good and gives us back a sense of dignity. The whistle and the torch are small objects, but they reassure us, especially at night.”
— Testimony of a 47-year-old woman
Work that stays close to people’s needs
Through this work carried out with Amel, HuSoMe continues its commitment to vulnerable populations, favouring concrete responses suited to realities on the ground and to the needs expressed by the beneficiaries.
Because humanitarian aid is not just about distributing essential products: it also means listening, informing, protecting and preserving the dignity of every person supported.
