What’s in a family kit?
For those forced to live in camp conditions following the earthquake in Haiti, a family kit provides a whole list of life’s little essentials.
January 28th, 2010 | by Anna Kramer
Photo: Dario Arthur / Oxfam
In the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, Oxfam is working to distribute a variety of relief materials for the comfort and health of those forced to live in camp conditions. Sometimes this aid takes the form of what’s called “family kits”—but, we were wondering, what exactly does one of those kits contain?
The answer just came via email from Kenny Rae, one of our Boston-based colleagues currently in Haiti to help with the relief effort.
“I have one in front of me,” Kenny wrote. Its contents:
2 towels
4 bowls
4 plates
4 knives
4 forks
4 spoons
8 bars laundry soap
4 large cups
2 tubes toothpaste
8 bars soap (personal)
4 toothbrushes
2 hairbrushes
12 packets shampoo
8 packets conditioner
40 sanitary napkins
“The contents are modified for family size where practical,” he wrote, adding that each kit costs US $55 “with costs of assembling and delivery.” Right now, Oxfam is working on delivering 10,000 of these kits to displaced families.
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Author
Anna Kramer
Anna Kramer is a writer at Oxfam America. Based in Boston, she covers a wide range of issues for Oxfam both digitally and in print. Find her on Twitter at @annakramer.
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Good Oxfam Folks ~
Great work! Being sensitive to the dignity of the people who’ve experienced a severe shock and are now forced to live in rudimentary camps is an essential part of “relief.”
I am interested in knowing where items in the Family Kits are manufactured, where the kits are assembled and how they got to Haiti.
Thanks again for all that you do, in Haiti and wherever the needs are!
Terra W.