As Dråpen i Havet conducted its initial needs assessment, one critical gap quickly became apparent: access to laundry services. Many residents were unable to wash their clothes and bedding, despite widespread cases of scabies and other hygiene-related conditions. At a time when hygiene was more important than ever, access to laundry became both a public health concern and a matter of dignity.
What began as an emergency response evolved into one of the organisation’s longest-running and most impactful programmes on Lesvos.
More Than a Laundry Service
Over the following years, the programme grew from a small outsourced service into a comprehensive WASH intervention supporting thousands of people living in displacement. More than 400,000 kilograms of clothing and bedding were washed, while detergent distributions, hygiene promotion activities and targeted medical referrals became integrated components of the project.
The programme played an important role in supporting treatment for skin conditions, reducing hygiene-related risks and improving living conditions within the camp. Through partnerships with medical actors, including EODY and MSF, laundry services became part of broader public health responses, particularly during coordinated interventions to address scabies outbreaks.
At the same time, the project introduced innovative approaches to increase self-reliance. Through collaborations with partners such as Earth Breeze and The Washing Machine Project, residents gained greater access to detergent and self-service washing options, allowing them to manage their own hygiene needs whenever possible.
Advancing Humanitarian Standards
The work on Lesvos also highlighted an often-overlooked aspect of humanitarian response: access to laundry services as a fundamental component of hygiene, health and dignity.
Through its operational experience, Dråpen i Havet consistently advocated for stronger recognition of laundry access within WASH programming and humanitarian standards. The organisation also assumed coordination responsibilities for the WASH, Shelter and NFI sectors on the island, facilitating collaboration between humanitarian actors, camp management and authorities.
Working closely with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, camp management and humanitarian partners, the programme contributed to the development of more sustainable systems and improved access to services within the Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC). In 2024, the laundry station was successfully relocated inside the camp, benefiting from permanent infrastructure connections and creating opportunities for stronger community engagement.
A Community-Led Effort
The success of the programme was made possible by a diverse and dedicated team.
Through Dråpen i Havet’s Community Empowerment and Mobilisation Programme, young people living in the camp contributed to daily operations, outreach and hygiene promotion activities while gaining valuable experience and skills. Their involvement ensured that services remained responsive to community needs and demonstrated the importance of meaningful participation in humanitarian action.
The programme was further strengthened by international volunteers, interns, local staff and technical specialists whose commitment helped transform an emergency intervention into a long-term service supporting health and dignity for thousands of people.
A Responsible Handover
At the beginning of 2026, after more than five years of continuous presence on Lesvos, Dråpen i Havet made the decision to conclude its operations.
This decision reflected the changing context on the island. As camp populations decreased and infrastructure improved, services that had initially been established by humanitarian organisations increasingly became the responsibility of authorities and long-term operational actors.
Following years of collaboration and advocacy with the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, camp management and humanitarian partners, a natural transition became possible. Rather than maintaining parallel structures indefinitely, Dråpen i Havet focused on ensuring that the service could be absorbed into existing systems and continue beyond the organisation’s presence.
The final months were dedicated to training, documentation, knowledge transfer and capacity building, resulting in a successful handover to camp management and Eurorelief.
Looking Forward
While operations on Lesvos have come to an end, the impact of the programme continues.
Over six years, the project generated valuable operational data and evidence on the relationship between laundry access, hygiene promotion, public health and dignity in displacement settings. These lessons provide an important opportunity to strengthen humanitarian practice and contribute to ongoing discussions around Sphere Standards and WASH programming.
Dråpen i Havet will continue working to ensure that the evidence gathered on Lesvos informs future humanitarian responses and helps strengthen recognition of laundry access as a key component of hygiene and public health interventions.
At the same time, the organisation will explore opportunities to integrate laundry access and WASH-focused programming into its work in other locations where displaced communities continue to face barriers to maintaining health and dignity.
The chapter on Lesvos may be closing, but the lessons, partnerships and impact of this work are far from over.
Stay tuned.