The Refugees Needed Toilets “More Than One Can Imagine.” A Donor Stepped Up (2024)

Sometimes it just takes one person to make a fast decision and profound difference, and that is the privilege of private philanthropy. I saw a great example of this recently, when a donor was made aware of a dire situation for a special group of Ukrainian refugees, and without a moment’s hesitation, underwrote a project even though he faced the dilemma that so many philanthropists face: agreeing to fund something outside the scope of one’s foundation and fearing it will trigger a landslide of requests from others.

And this was no ordinary project.

The story begins with the heroic escape of 30 individuals with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities from Ukraine as it was engulfed by war. Many of these refugees are in wheelchairs, others have significant mobility issues, some are non-verbal, some cannot feed themselves, many are incontinent, and most require significant 24-7 care. Their flight from Ukraine was made possible by four courageous caregivers — Veronica, Oliana, Olena and Tatiana. These women could have chosen to save only themselves when Russia invaded. Instead, they organized the escape and resettlement for as many of the care recipients who could make the treacherous journey. For six days they drove by bus, navigating both an uncertain future and the urgent needs of the individuals in their care. They faced the minute-by-minute fear of roadblocks, crossfire and airstrikes, alongside the rape, murder and other dangers of war.

When they crossed the Polish border, they found refuge in a facility called The Sanatorium. Initially built in the 16th century, the building was converted to a small rural school in 1957 and then later repurposed as a simple place for the elderly to experience a few days respite in the countryside. Walking through the salmon-colored façade with its arched doorways, the caregivers must have felt an indescribable relief. Beds with blankets for all the children and adults were lined up, filling two available rooms. Overcrowded, to be sure, but warm beds and safety all the same.

Within days of their arrival, pallets and boxes of supplies arrived — from food and clean water to clothes and sanitation supplies, led by the Special Olympics Unified with Refugees program.

Yet the caregivers still faced a massive problem: There was only one toilet, one sink and one shower for 30 or more refugees. Without the right sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, the caregivers were facing down a grim situation.

The most forgotten need, basic sanitation, and the most forgotten people far too often go hand-in-hand. According to the World Health Organization, 1.7 billion people worldwide do not have access to a basic toilet or latrine. Globally, more than half the world’s population (4.2 billion people) lives without safely managed sanitation services. This solvable problem leaves the marginalized populations of the world at risk for scores of waterborne diseases, and women and girls at risk of physical assault just trying to find a bit of privacy to relieve themselves.

The management of The Sanatorium set out to solve the problem. They drew up plans and had a contractor in place to build three additional toilets, two showers and two sinks. What stood in the way was obtaining $25,000 that could be put to work immediately. That’s hard to come by — funding unencumbered by bureaucracy and red tape.

Then a private philanthropist who understands the critical need for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) was made aware of the situation, and without a moment’s hesitation, he underwrote the one-off project, though this kind of endeavor is outside the scope of his foundation. His quick action is an important reminder of the power of nimble philanthropy — and how donors who embrace that power can turn on a dime to have an impact. The Sanatorium is now building out the necessary hygiene infrastructure for individuals with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. The new sinks, toilets and showers will be ready for full use before the end of June. Meanwhile, Special Olympics’ Poland Motor Activity Training Program will offer sustained services and support to these refugees in the months ahead, and four caregivers who continue to work around the clock will at least be able to do so under far safer and more dignified conditions for all.

After visiting the facility in eastern Poland, David Evangelista, president of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, said: “Individuals with intellectual disabilities remain the most at-risk demographic across the world, and this only deepens in refugee settings. Their needs are acute, urgent and far too often—fully unmet.” Evangelista is deeply grateful to the Polish facility, the Polish community of Krosnobrod, Special Olympics Poland, the Lions Clubs International Foundation which funds Special Olympics’ refugee work, and of course, the four truly courageous caregivers who made this escape and resettlement happen. And he is deeply grateful that some donors understand that safety and dignity are impossible without WASH.

Building toilets may not be flashy philanthropy, yet sanitation is one of the most fundamental ingredients of human health and wellbeing.

“We have had a hard road. It is still not easy,” said Veronica, one of the Ukrainian caregivers. “But this support shows us that change can happen. It has showed us that the community cares for our residents, they care for us. We cannot just say thank you—this means more to us than just gratitude. This really changes things for the better. We needed this more than one can imagine.”

Susan K. Barnett is a former award-winning investigative journalist with the network newsmagazines PrimeTime Live, 20/20 (ABC News) and Dateline NBC. She leads Cause Communications and the multifaith advocacy project, Faiths for Safe Water.