A bar of soap may not seem like much to most people in the UK, but some 40 per cent of the world's population - 3 billion people - do not have access to soap and water in their homes, making regular hand washing difficult, says Christian Aid.
Given the need for increased hygiene during the pandemic, the need for soap is greater than ever.
With this in mind, Christian Aid's partners in Bangladesh have distributed over 40,000 bars of soap for Rohingya families living in overcrowded refugee camps.
In Ethiopa, the focus of Christian Aid's 2020 Christmas Appeal, women are being trained by the development agency's partners to make their own soap from the aloe vera plant.
While Ethiopia has been plagued by swarms of locusts and a climate crisis, the beauty of the aloe vera plant is that it is drought resistant.
Not only are the women able to make soap for their own family, but they are also able to make extra bars and sell them for income.
NHS Consultant Dr Paul Grime of St Thomas' Hospital, London, who travelled with Christian Aid to see projects improving access to water in rural Ethiopia said: "We mustn't underestimate the importance of soap and water.
"These may seem like basic and simple resources to us, but they can make a huge difference to those who don't have them.
"Making them available gives people the chance to protect themselves and their loved ones, control the spread of the virus and other infections in their communities and avoid the devastating impact that infections like coronavirus have on the poorest members of our global community."
Worldwide, Christian Aid has handed out soap to nearly a quarter of a million people since the pandemic started.
With much of Britain shopping for Christmas presents for friends and loved ones, Christian Aid is asking people to consider buying a charity gift to train more women to make soap for £15 or provide clean water for £30.
Christian Aid CEO Amanda Mukwashi said: "This has been a year when we in the UK have experienced vulnerability in a way we haven't for many generations and have been given an insight into what it is like to not be able to fully protect our loved ones from outside forces.
"But we have tools at our disposal. We can wash our hands with soap and water and this year we are appealing to the public to help put those critical tools in the hands of some of the world's most vulnerable people.
"Please put soap and water at the top of your Christmas list and together we can save lives and offer hope this Christmas."
