Vaseline aims to help those who need help most

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- The Vaseline brand is launching a new effort to bring awareness and relief to victims of humanitarian crises, natural disasters and extreme poverty.

The brand has partnered 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 5 million people living in the wake of crisis and disaster in the U.S. and abroad by 2020. 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.

"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," said Davis. "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."

In times of crisis, the need for medical services, including dermatological care, is at its highest. 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.

"For over a century Vaseline Jelly has been used as a skin protectant to help heal and provide visible relief from dry skin," said Ricardo Pimenta, Vaseline Global Vice President:. "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."

More information about the project is available by clicking here.