A hygiene kit is designed to promote hygiene within families affected by disaster or conflict. A hygiene kit should enable:
- Storage of safe drinking water at household level is possible,
- Good practices around drinking water use are reaffirmed by means of the kit in combination with Hygiene Promotion
- All family members be able to practice handwashing at key times,
- Washing of self and clothing,
- Adults to manage both babies and young children’s feces
- The use of dedicated water containers for anal cleansing (if used)
- The management of menstruation
- Practice of food hygiene
The Hygiene kit will vary by local practice and the quantities of each item will need to be adjusted according to average local family or household size.
Procurement location: Best to procure locally, but if sufficient supplies do not exist in country, then purchase regionally and outward from “home” as needed.
Shipping and cost details: Shipping will depend on whether items are kitted prior to final shipping or kitted at the destination. Consider packaging for kitting if items are procured separately – reusable cloth bags can be used, although they will be hard to stack for storage and transport. When buckets are being used, hygiene and other kits can be packed inside them and stacked for transport. Shipping components already kitted will increase the overall shipping volume. Below are examples of the items, specs & shipping details. Click on the Item hyperlink for photos.
| Item (photo) | Specs | Packaging | Weight | Dimensions | Volume | Vendor |
| OXFAM Bucket | 14 liter w/lid, pour spout, plastic handle | Pallet/Stackable | .72 kg | 12 x100x120cm | 1.3200 m3 | OXFAM |
| Jerry Can – Rigid | PVC/PE10L; Screw top lid; 50mm minimum opening; New high-density polyethylene for rigid jerry cans; Food grade low ethylene for folding or collapsible; Suitability for drinking water should be approved by official body; Light color only, UV treated for long term outdoor use; Carrying handle; Drop test from 2m with full water on hard ground – 3 consecutive drops without damage or leakage | Individual | 2.4 kg | Varies | 15 L | |
| Bucket w/lid | 14L; HDPE (alternative to OXFAM bucket) | Pallet-200 stacked | 200 kg | 120x100x110cm | 1000 L | |
| Water purification tablets NaDCC/Aquatabs* | NaDCC/Aquatabs*; 5mg (NaDCC 8.5mg), for 1L water, 1 tablet | Carton of 10,000 | N/A | N/A | N/A | IFCR or Aquatabs |
| Ladle with Handle | Plastic-NOT METAL | Individual | Local | Local | Local | |
| Washing Basin | Plastic for washing clothes/dishes | Individual | Local | Local | Local | |
| ORS | Sachets of Oral Rehydration Salts 20.5g to 1 liter | Carton of 1,000 | 24 kg | 48x27x40cm | 0.0489 m3 | IFRC or OXFAM |
| Soap | Non-perfumed, hypoallergenic, wrapped bar, 250ml wrapped | Carton of 50 | 13.5 kg | 42x30x33cm | 28L | |
| Laundry Detergent | Bar (not powder) for ease of transport and longer lasting | Carton of 4 | 11 kg | 18x36x46cm | 24L | |
| Towel | 100% cotton, 50×80 cm | Carton of 120 | 20 kg | 58x46x30cm | 85L | |
| Sanitary towels | Cloth (Dark Color) or Disposable | Carton of 288 | 4 kg | 40x25x45cm | 47L | |
| Toilet paper* | Roll, biodegradable | Carton of 96 | 16 kg | 60x43x48cm | 127L | |
| Container-Anal Cleansing | Plastic/As per cultural norm | Individual | Local | Local | Local | |
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With Children |
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| Potty | Plastic – local availability | Individual | Local | Local | Local | |
| Nappies/Diapers | Cloth preferred for size adjustment & reusability/Disposable acceptable | Individual | Local | Local | Local | |
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Additional Items |
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| Toothbrush | Medium hardness, individually wrapped | Carton of 144 | 1 kg | 20x20x18cm | 7.2L | |
| Toothpaste | 75ml tube | Carton of 144 | 14 kg | 62x30x30cm | 55L | |
| Shampoo | Hypoallergenic, PH 5.5, 500ml bottle, minimum shelf life 1 year | Carton of 12 | 6.5 kg | 26x20x23cm | 13L | |
| Comb | Plastic | Carton of 144 | .5 kg | 14x9x17c | 2L | |
* If the water is not very turbid, then Aquatabs are fine. If the water is turbid then Aquatabs may not be sufficient in terms of the chlorine demand. In the case of flood emergencies and more contaminated water may be used, it is recommended to use PuR (Procter and Gamble) or Chlor-Floc (recommended by US-EPA). Also you can use Watermaker for the first two weeks of a flood/natural disaster where access to a cleaner water source is a real challenge and one can then shift to Aquatabs since these are cheaper. It is in powder form but is the same in terms of using a set quantity mixed in a jerry can. Same principle for PuR sachets since both have flocculants to settle solids. Each packet treats ten liters of water.