Unilever

Transforming the lives of children through innovative projects around the world.

We’re working in partnership with Lifebuoy, Unilever’s hygienic soap brand to support the health and nutrition of children and mothers in Indonesia.

In partnership with GIZ, Symrise and Wall’s, one of Unilever’s leading ice cream brands, we’re working with children and families in Madagascar, so that they can overcome the challenges they face, and advocate for their rights.

And we have provided families with hygiene education and supplies to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in ten countries with support from the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC), established by Unilever and the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2020.

Vanilla for Change

Since 2016, Wall’s has been working with global child rights organisation Save the Children, government development agency GIZ, and value chain partner Symrise, to improve the lives of vanilla farming communities in the Sava region of Madagascar, known as the ‘Vanilla Belt’ of the country, and ensure the children growing up there can go on to build a better future.

By combining over 100 years of Save the Children’s child protection expertise with GIZ’s sustainable development expertise and Wall’s and Symrise’s experience of the vanilla supply chain, the four organisations have developed a unique and ground-breaking programme which goes beyond the supply chain and empowers some of the most vulnerable children and families in Madagascar, whilst building a sustainable supply of vanilla for the future.

The Vanilla for Change programme has already made a difference to the lives of more than 60,000 people, with incredible achievements including:

5,764 vulnerable households were provided with health insurance
1,253 people were provided with small livelihoods grants, helping them to provide for their families
54,684 people received our Essential Package, which empowered parents to make strong decisions about health, nutrition, and hygiene for their children
663 young people improved their numeracy and literacy skills, and a further 1,900 young people improved their life skills and career prospects through the specialist Pathway programme

Following on from the highly successful first programme phase, we’re delighted to have started on the next phase of our programme from 2020-2024. We are continuing to work in partnership with Unilever, GIZ and Symrise to strengthen vanilla economies, and promote community resilience in vanilla-farming areas in Madagascar, whilst strengthening the opportunities for children in this region.

We aim to support 52,028 people (including 23,100 young people), to make positive life choices, protect themselves and build better livelihoods.

More information on Vanilla for Change

Lifebuoy

Lifebuoy, Unilever’s leading soap brand, has invested in the Better Investment for Stunting Alleviation (BISA) programme in Indonesia alongside The Power of Nutrition. Handwashing with soap has an important role to play in helping to address the underlying causes of malnutrition, with an estimated 50% of cases of child undernutrition caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices or lack of safe water.

The BISA programme is focused on creating long-term nutrition and hygiene behaviour change by promoting positive handwashing habits among children and mothersin East Nusa Tenggara and West Java, two provinces with high rates of chronic malnutrition.

We know that getting simple things right in early childhood, such as handwashing, can make a huge difference to a child’s chances and development. Working together, we’re putting this into practice, giving children and their families a far better chance to thrive.

Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC)

Selina*, at a hand-washing station in Kapoeta, South Sudan. *name changed to protect identity

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people all over the world think about health and the steps we all need to take to protect ourselves, our families, our communities, and society as a whole. handwashing and hygiene have taken on even greater importance as the first line of defence to fight disease.

Save the Children has been a key partner in the Hygiene Behaviour Change Coalition (HBCC), established by Unilever and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office. The goal of the programme was to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among children, caregivers, their families, and wider communities, as well as to build resilience to future outbreaks by raising awareness and promoting positive hygiene practices, and distributing personal hygiene materials, such as soap, amongst communities.

Our HBCC programmes have supported children and families affected by COVID-19 across 10 countries: Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Sudan, Yemen and Zimbabwe. We have reached a total combined of over 640 million people, with messages on COVID-19 awareness and hygiene practices, through mass media campaigns, community activities, staff training, and distribution of WASH supplies to vulnerable communities and at Health Care Facilities.