For millions of Canadians, basic hygiene products are out of reach. Not because they don't matter, but because rent and groceries come first. Hygiene poverty is largely invisible in public conversation, yet its effects on health, dignity and mental well-being are profound.
At St. Michaels University School, two Grade 12 students decided to do something about it.
Ruby Dieringer '26 and Olivia Parasynchuk '26 were sitting in a service education class when they first learned about Soap for Hope Canada, a Victoria-based charity that collects, processes and delivers hygiene products to people in need across greater Victoria. Since its founding, the organization has distributed over 11 million hygiene products and diverted over a million pounds of usable items from landfills.
The partnership reflects a broader approach to service learning at SMUS, where students take an active role in shaping the work they do in the community.
“We’ve seen stronger student engagement when students have a voice in choosing which organizations to partner with,” said Elisha Gardiner, Service-Learning and Community Engagement Lead. “The continued commitment to Soap for Hope shows how strongly this work resonates with them, while helping students build lasting relationships in the community and gain a deeper understanding of local needs and long-term impact.”
That sense of ownership led Ruby and Olivia to take the initiative.
"We identified a gap that this drive could fill in terms of community engagement," Ruby said. "We decided to organize the first ever St. Michaels University School hygiene product donation drive for the organization, to hopefully create an initiative that can expand in the years to come."
That first drive, in the 2024-25 school year, collected over 70 kilograms of donated hygiene products. For 2026, the drive is onboarding a new partner to help surpass last year’s total. The SMUS Red Cross Club, is a student-led club which, in addition to fundraising, aims to help students understand the issues the Red Cross addresses and why that work matters. Red Cross Club Head Grace Liao '27 saw an immediate opportunity to collaborate.
"Everyone deserves access to basic needs like hygiene, regardless of their background or situation," Grace said. "Even if you don't realize it, a small action can go a long way."
The cause is one Ruby and Olivia feel personally connected to. As teenage girls, they say they are acutely aware of how access to hygiene products, including feminine hygiene products, shapes confidence, dignity and mental health.
"Hygiene poverty is a largely overlooked issue in our society and hygiene products are often taken for granted by those who have never had to struggle to access them," Ruby explained. "Personal hygiene is vital for self-confidence, which heavily influences people's quality of life."
For Ruby and Olivia, two years of organizing this drive has shifted something in how they see the world.
"It has certainly taught us a lot about the concept and instilled not taking hygiene accessibility for granted within our own lives," Ruby said.
"Hygiene should not be a privilege," Ruby added. "Let's use ours to make a difference."
This year’s Soap for Hope drive runs from April 22 to May 22, with collection points in boarding houses, homerooms and staff rooms across the Senior School. To add a friendly competitive element, homerooms will compete by weight of donations, and boarding houses will earn house points based on their contributions.
Donate new or gently used items such as:
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Body wash
- Body lotion
Or new items like:
- Deodorant
- Toothbrushes and toothpaste
- Feminine hygiene products
- Incontinence products
- Razors
- Lip balm
- Combs or hairbrushes
There are also many ways to support Soap for Hope beyond this drive. The organization is always seeking volunteers to help out in the warehouse and welcomes donors to its Fresh Start program.
Ruby Dieringer
