shelterbox

ShelterBox sends emergency shelter to Madagascar

Steve Pickering — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:03:06 +0100

ShelterBox is sending emergency shelter to Madagascar for families who have been made homeless by Cyclone Giovanna that struck on 14 February.

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) has been working closely with the National Bureau of Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC), the national disaster relief agency, to carry out a needs assessment in the most devastated areas of the island.

'The eastern town of Brickaville and the capital Antananarivo as well as their surrounding villages are the worse hit regions,' said SRT member David Webber (UK). 'Schools have been destroyed, homes flattened and the main hospital damaged.'

ShelterBox is sending midi tents from its headquarters in Cornwall, UK, as opposed to ShelterBoxes, as people have lost their homes from the high winds but still have their personal belongings. The midi tents are ideal for responses like this where temporary shelter is required for a shorter time while families rebuild their homes with dignity. Mosquito nets and hammers to help families put up the tents will arrive with the tents.

SchoolBoxes are also being sent to the damaged schools packed with activities for children, bringing them hope at the time when they need it the most.

Cyclone Giovanna caused most destruction on the eastern part of Madagascar displacing almost 152,000 people. SRT member Stephen Branfield (UK) speaks about the latest from the field here:

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ShelterBox celebrates Waitangi Day

Steve Pickering — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0100

Waitangi Day commemorates a significant event in the history of New Zealand. The annual national holiday celebrates the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document, on 6 February 1840. ShelterBox has many kiwi supporters and would like to celebrate this day by recognising some of the ways in which they contribute to the charity.

Not far from the Treaty grounds at Waitangi in the beautiful Bay of Islands lies the town of Kerikeri. The Rotary Club there has been a major supporter of ShelterBox having raised around NZ$30,000 for it over the past couple of years.

The town is also home to Rotarian and ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) volunteer Owen Smith who has been deployed on eight occasions since completing his SRT training in February 2009. His most recent deployment was to Kenya in August 2011, where ShelterBox distributed emergency shelter to families who had been forced to flee across the border of Somalia to escape the worst famine in 60 years and the on-going conflict that had blighted the country.

Owen was part of the SRT that worked in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to get the first 2,900 ShelterBox tents ready for occupation and around 2,000 families had moved into the camp during his time in Dadaab.

‘It was amazing to be able to set up so many tents in such a short space of time,’ said Owen. ‘When we realised that there were upwards of 80,000 people living in extremely basic and cramped transition areas waiting for somewhere permanent to live and every day another 1,400 refugees were arriving here in Dadaab we knew we had to work fast.

‘This deployment truly demonstrated ShelterBox’s capacity to make a real difference in the world and by working in partnership with UNHCR and IOM agencies we achieved a great result for so many refugee families. After all the hard, hot and dusty work that goes into getting our equipment ready to use, it was wonderful to be on site and assist the first families moving into their ShelterBox tents.’

Within two months, over 7,000 ShelterBox tents were set up in Dadaab, providing shelter, comfort and dignity to thousands of families, making it the largest delivery of ShelterBox aid that year.

Urgently needed shelter

Two other SRT volunteers from New Zealand who have just recently returned home have been on deployment in the Philippines responding to the devastation caused by Typhoon Washi. Arnold Kelly and Lyndon Tamblyn were deployed with two Filipino SRT volunteers in the Southeast Asian country distributing urgently needed shelter as recent flooding stretched relief operations on the island of Mindanao. More than 1,200 lives were reported lost and over 10,000 homes were destroyed.

‘This was my fourth deployment to the Philippines and that country can certainly throw up many challenges in all aspects of our work,’ said Arnold. ‘This time round it was the heat – it was scorching there and setting up tents daily in that high level of humidity was challenging at times. All the hard work was paid off though when we saw the joy on people’s faces when they moved into their new homes.’

To date, two ShelterBox camps have been set up in the worst affected areas of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan providing new homes for around 600 families. The Moro National Liberations Front (MNLF) has been helping the SRTs put up ShelterBox tents.

‘We trained the MNLF in setting up ShelterBox tents at the Calaanan evacuation site in Cagayan de Oro,’ said Lyndon. ‘Their help was invaluable in terms of how quick we distributed emergency shelter to families in need at the time when they needed it the most.’

Arnold and Lyndon carried out ongoing needs assessments and delivered much needed emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies into the area.

Disaster struck

Both SRT volunteers were also amongst the first to be mobilised to Christchurch almost a year ago when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit the South Island city causing significant loss of life, casualties and damage to infrastructure. Arnold and Lyndon happened to be in the area with Walter van der Kley, an SRT volunteer from downtown Christchurch, when the disaster struck and they immediately began to assess the need.

ShelterBox New Zealand Director, Lindsay Thorburn, was having lunch on the outskirts of Christchurch when the quake hit. ‘I was in the café about two kilometres out of the town centre when the quake hit,’ said Lindsay. ‘It was horrific. There were plates of food and cups of coffee smashing and flying all around me. People cut and bleeding everywhere, luckily I was not one of them. For the next five hours I helped those who were in most need.’

Following the assessments of the Kiwi SRT working in Christchurch, 120 prepositioned ShelterBoxes from Australia were sent to Auckland and a further 200 disaster relief tents were sent from the United Kingdom.

ShelterBox would like to thank every individual from New Zealand who has contributed to its huge aid efforts and who has contributed to the protection of hundreds of thousands of lives. Wherever you are in the world, ShelterBox wishes you a very happy Waitangi Day!

All hands on deck in the Philippines

Steve Pickering — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:33:40 +0100

Local scouts, Rotarians and students have been helping ShelterBox Response Teams (SRT) set up camps in the devastated areas of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, providing emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for thousands of the most vulnerable families in need.

Their support comes as tens of thousands of people remain displaced almost six weeks after Typhoon Washi struck the north of Mindanao, a southern island in the Philippines, sweeping away nearly 50,000 homes and affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

‘As more ShelterBoxes and tents arrive, more hands seem to become available to put them up,’ said SRT volunteer Abner Tayco (PH). ‘It’s incredible seeing how many people out there have huge support for the work that ShelterBox does and they want to help out as much as they can in any way they can.’

SRT volunteer Lyndon Tamblyn (NZ) demonstrated to scouts from the areas of Mizamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro how to set up ShelterBox tents at the Calaanan camp. By the end of the day, 50 tents were set up.

‘It’s been amazing having help from the scouts and they have brought with them a wealth of knowledge in setting up camps,’ said Lyndon. ‘It was easy to show them how to put up the tents as they already knew about distance and spacing so we have been able to work at double our normal pace.’

One group of medical students had read about the work that ShelterBox was doing in the Asian country on the charity’s Facebook page and went in search of the SRT. Ian, Carlo and Melvin found the ShelterBox camps and volunteered their free time away from their studies to help put up tents.

‘We may not be able to afford to contribute any money to ShelterBox but we are willing to help set up tents,’ said Ian. ‘We are really happy to help out this way and it’s great to be part of such an inspirational organisation that restores dignity to families’ lives after a disaster.’

The SRT has also had support from volunteers from aid agency All Hands and local Rotarians, who have assisted in setting up at least 200 tents to date.

ShelterBox responded instantly to the disaster by deploying in-country SRT volunteers to assess the need for emergency aid. Since then, enough tents have been set up to provide shelter, warmth and dignity to almost 1300 families.

Baby Nam in Thailand: 3 months on

Steve Pickering — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:32:25 +0100

A Thai mother gave birth to a baby on board an evacuation boat last October, during what were described as the worse floods to hit Thailand in 50 years. Baby Nam spent the first month of her life living in a ShelterBox tent with her family before moving back to their house in Rangsit once the floodwaters receded. A ShelterBox Operations team carrying out a monitoring and evaluation programme met with baby Nam, her mother and 60-year old grandmother to see what life has been like since Response Team volunteer Scott Robinson (US) first met them three months before at the evacuation centre.

ShelterBox’s Operations Coordinator Dr. Alison Ashlin (UK), Operations Assistant Rebecca Ridgeway (UK) and Scott spoke to Ladda Bangkeaw, Nam’s mother, in their home in Rangsit.

‘I gave birth to Nam on the evacuation boat as my home had flooded leaving me with no electricity and nowhere to sit and lay down,’ said Ladda. ‘It was a relief to reach the evacuation centre but for Nam’s first five days of her life we lived in an overcrowded hallway there. Then I met Scott who gave us a ShelterBox tent to live in giving us not just privacy but dignity too. The tent was very comfortable and I was able to recover from the birth and look after Nam.

‘Coming home was a shock, the house was a mess and most of our possessions had been ruined by the floods. However, I was so happy that we had survived and ShelterBox had helped us do this. We are now slowly rebuilding our lives.’

‘Although this family has very little, Nam is a healthy, happy baby,’ said Alison. ‘Her birth weight was just under three kilograms and three months on she now weighs four kilograms. Ladda said she was very happy to see Scott and the rest of us. She asked how we had managed to find her and explained that she thought we had forgotten about her. She was so happy she said she could cry. It was a very emotional moment for her and us.’

The ShelterBox Operations team have now completed the evaluation programme in Thailand that was carried out to improve ShelterBox’s speed of delivery and overall response to disasters. They collected feedback from beneficiaries, spoke to in-country partners and assessed the conditions of the tents in the flood-hit areas.

To read ShelterBox’s original story of Ladda giving birth to baby Nam please click here.

Scouts lend ShelterBox a helpful hand in Brazil

Steve Pickering — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:01:28 +0100

Scouts from three different Brazilian states travelled great distances to assist a ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) in setting up camps, providing emergency shelter to families made homeless by recent floods and mudslides in eastern Brazil.

For the third time in two years, Brazilian scouts were prepared to help ShelterBox deliver aid to displaced people in need of shelter, even if it meant travelling long distances through the night. Thirty scouts from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais joined forces with the SRT and local volunteers to help put up ShelterBox tents in the devastated areas of Japamapará and Além Paraíba. In two swelteringly hot days, tents became homes for around 70 families.

ShelterBox Response Team volunteer David Hatcher (UK) praised the scouts for their efforts: ‘True to the scout motto, be prepared and do your best. I was extremely proud and honoured to know that so many Brazilian young people had collectively travelled more than 8000km in the true spirit of humanitarian aid to help the people of Além Paraíba and Japamapará. Scouts and donors from around the world have expressed their love in a very practical way.’

As the scouts prepared to travel back to their homes, they saw the hope and joy in the families who were moving into the ShelterBox tents. Marciano Montoni together with his wife Mariana Montoni, two year old daughter Naira and baby son Marcello lost everything in the floods.

‘We are very sad to have lost our home, especially because of the children,’ said Marciano. ‘I really like our new home that ShelterBox has provided because it will be a temporary and comfortable house. Without ShelterBox’s help we would have to sleep on the street.’

Lais Henriques de Mattos, a scout from Rio de Janeiro, was very moved to know she was a part of an effort that is changing the lives of people who lost everything and said: ‘This is the first time I have contact with people directly affected by a disaster, it is a lesson for life.’

Flavio Menzer, a scout from Minas Gerais, said: ‘It is an honour for me and my friends to be here helping people and living our scout promise.’

Scout leader Fabricio Gabriel said the Scouts of Brazil are very proud to be working with ShelterBox in this action: ‘We brought hope, dignity and a little bit of comfort to families who have lost almost everything.’

‘ShelterBox can always count on us,’ said another scout leader from São Paulo, Arnoldo Wilde.

This collaboration comes at a very special moment for ShelterBox and the Brazilian Scouts Association. The two organisations are working towards the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement foresees the development of educational tools that will help scouts remain prepared for disasters.

ShelterBox in Haiti: 2 years on

Steve Pickering — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:19 +0100

ShelterBox has been working closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Haiti to assist thousands of families in rebuilding their lives.

Exactly two years have passed since a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean island of Haiti causing an estimated 230,000 people to lose their lives and making a further 1.5 million homeless.

Despite the international community’s response to the enormous disaster, over 500,000 people have still been living in overcrowded camps on private land.

ShelterBox has been coordinating a project with IOM to help families to either return to their place of origin, or set up homes in a new location they have identified. Residual stocks of tents and emergency equipment have been distributed to these displaced families to enable them to finally start to rebuild their lives.

'IOM and ShelterBox have been working in partnership in Haiti since February 2010,’ said Luca Dall'Oglio, the IOM Chief of Mission. ‘Initially a Health Team program saw ShelterBox tents utilised to provide patients injured in the earthquake with a safe place to live and recuperate with their families.’

ShelterBox solution only option

In many cases the landowners are using violent methods to evict the families from the camps on their land. These families do not have the time to wait for the transitional shelter or reconstruction programmes, which have been slowed down due to political issues and the cholera outbreak that has killed nearly 7,000 Haitians since it began last October. For these families, the ShelterBox solution is the only option.

‘IOM were able to support delivery logistics and the partnership has continued strongly throughout the emergency response as we work towards interim relocation or returning families to their land,’ added Luca. ‘The durability of the ShelterBox tents and the non-food items that also come in the box have been a key incentive to encourage families to leave overcrowded camps and begin to rebuild their lives.’

Tom Lay, ShelterBox Operations Coordinator, has been in Haiti working with the IOM:

‘Helping families to restart their lives after a disaster is exactly what ShelterBox endeavours to achieve,’ said Tom. ‘The fact that we are still delivering aid two years on from the earthquake just shows what a huge disaster this was.’

Lasting relationship

‘We hope that this partnership will form a lasting relationship as we tackle the problems faced by families around the world in the aftermath of disasters,' said Luca.

Over 28,000 ShelterBoxes were sent to Haiti, the greatest number that ShelterBox has ever sent out to a single disaster. This was only possible thanks to the tremendous support from ShelterBox supporters throughout the crisis.

ShelterBox responds to floods in Brazil

Steve Pickering — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:59:41 +0100

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) is en route to Brazil to assess the need for emergency shelter following devastating floods and landslides.

Heavy rain in the South American country caused a dam in the town of Campo de Goytacazes in the southeastern state of Rio de Janeiro to burst and flood the area, forcing thousands of families from their homes. On 10 January, a landslide struck the same area that collapsed several houses, killing at least 13 and leaving another 11 listed as missing.

SRT Volunteer David Hatcher (UK) will assess the need for emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies in the eastern states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, the alleged worst affected areas. Jose Luiz Texeira Machado, one of ShelterBox Brazil’s Board Directors, will assist David with the assessment and act as translator.

The rains are fairly commonplace at this time of year in South America's monsoon season but this year's rains have been particularly heavy and persistent, making more than 3,000 families homeless.

ShelterBox has prepositioned stock in Brazil that will allow for immediate response to the disaster if needed.

To find out how you can make a difference to the lives of these families please visit ShelterBox Denmark’s donation page here.

Successful year for ShelterBox and Scouts worldwide

Steve Pickering — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:02:22 +0100

‘Every year, millions of people are made homeless through natural or manmade disasters. ShelterBox provides the unique opportunity for Scouts to explore why these events happen, what their effects are and how they can make a positive contribution to the world we live in.’ Tom Henderson OBE, ShelterBox Founder and CEO.

ShelterBox has a strong history of working with Scouts in disaster zones and they have become an integral part of the ShelterBox family, from their assistance in the field to their engagement with the work we do.

The Scout Association in the UK launched its official partnership with ShelterBox in May 2009 as part of Young ShelterBox’s (YSB) programme. Due to the partnership’s success, ShelterBox increased its global relationship with the Scouting world last year including the engaging participation at the 22nd World Scout Jamboree (WSJ), the collaboration in the organisation of the 54th Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and the 15th Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI) and agreements launching partnerships with Boy Scouts of America and the Scouts et Guides de France.

With a New Year beginning, ShelterBox looks back at highlights it’s had with Scouts around the world in 2011.

Deployments

Last year, ShelterBox worked with Scouts on deployments in Japan, Brazil, Bolivia, Thailand, Turkey and USA for their invaluable logistical support and local knowledge.

In March 2011, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan triggering a tsunami that caused extensive damage. ShelterBox Response Teams (SRTs), scouts and scout leaders distributed ShelterBoxes to the displaced families and set up camps.

‘This was the first time I’d worked with Scouts on a deployment, and it was a real pleasure for me,’ SRT Volunteer Mark Dyer said. ‘The Scouts are familiar with tents and know how to camp. Teaching them how to set up our disaster relief tent was particularly easy.’

An emergency camp was built in southeastern Brazil last October after floodwaters submerged eighty percent of the town. Scouts were responsible for pitching over half of the ShelterBox tents. Without their help, ShelterBox would not have succeeded in providing emergency shelter to all the families in such a short period of time.

‘It was a great learning experience for the members of the group, the collaboration with ShelterBox showed us the importance of being better prepared to face adverse situations,’ said scout leader Antonio Carlos Oliveira.

Education and awareness

The ShelterBox partnership with The Scout Association in the United Kingdom is part of the YSB programme of exploration and discovery. Through events and engaging online activities, Scouts are able to explore the world of international disaster relief in a fun and interactive way.

YSB have recently launched a new series of resources to add to the online library called Go Global. These are available through the YSB website and help Scouts discover more about global humanitarian aid. They are flexible and adaptable focusing on global awareness, movement and action. The programme has attracted over 3000 Scouts who have signed up already making it a huge achievement for the UK YSB team.

‘We’ve been overwhelmed by the number of Go Global registrants,’ said James Webb, YSB Project Officer. ‘There was an immediate interest from Scout Groups as soon as the resources were launched online. This high level of engagement is definitely a highlight for us this year as is the London Scavenger Hunt last July.’

In October 2011, ShelterBox France also launched a Scouts Area on their website with educational tools for scouts and scout leaders available for download.

‘I am particularly happy with the excellent cooperation between the two organisations and how we both share values of solidarity, providing aid to people made homeless by disasters worldwide,’ said Philippe Bancon from Scouts et Guides de France after signing the Memorandum of Understanding with ShelterBox last April. ‘We thank ShelterBox for their proposed educational programmes that will raise awareness about humanitarian crises and the role our scouts can play to assist affected communities.’

Importance of shelter and humanitarian action

Last October, the Boy Scouts of America hosted more than 4,000 Scouts at the first ever ShelterBox and Three Fires Camperall in Sandwich, Illinois. Scouts participated in activities with SRT Volunteers and Rotarians where they learnt more about ShelterBox. The event promoted the importance of shelter and humanitarian action following disasters to Scouts while having fun.

‘On behalf of the Three Fires Council, Boy Scouts of America, I would like to thank ShelterBox for participating with us to hold the Prepared for Life/ShelterBox Camperall,’ said Matthew Ackerman, President and Scout Executive for Three Fires Council. ‘I believe we created great awareness and support for the work of both of our groups, thank you!’

‘This is one of ShelterBox USA’s greatest achievements this year,’ said ShelterBox USA President Emily Sperling. ‘We couldn’t be prouder to be associated with an outstanding organisation like Boy Scouts of America.’

Global Partnership with Scouts

ShelterBox attended the 22nd WSJ in Sweden last July and August. With over 40,000 Scouts from 146 countries in attendance, this was the biggest WSJ in history of World Scouting. Not only did ShelterBox raise awareness about disaster relief among the scouts at the event but ShelterBox representatives also contacted scout leaders with the objective of developing partnerships with national scout organisations worldwide. Since then, ShelterBox has been in contact with national scout organisations in more than 25 countries, each which has responded positively to the idea.

‘We anticipate that in 2012, educational and awareness activities developed in cooperation between ShelterBox and Scouts will be available in more countries in Europe, in the Americas and also in the Asia-Pacific Region,’ said Melissa Martins Casagrande, ShelterBox International’s Global Scout Partnerships Coordinator.

Also during the 22nd WSJ, Tom Henderson had a meeting with Luc Panissod, Secretary-General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM), to begin discussions about an official partnership between ShelterBox International and the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

‘Although an official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has not been signed yet, this meeting facilitated the engagement of ShelterBox at another world level event – the 54th Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) and the 15th Jamboree on the Internet (JOTI),’ said Tom Henderson.

ShelterBox around the world

Steve Pickering — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:28:51 +0100

Since its launch in 2000, ShelterBox has grown on an international scale. Our global network of ShelterBox affiliates in over 20 countries work together with us to achieve our disaster relief mission.

Each affiliate worked tirelessly throughout 2011 to enable ShelterBoxes to be delivered to over 15,000 families who lost everything following a disaster. As we start a new year here are just a few highlights from each affiliate from the past 12 months.

Asia

It has been a successful first year for ShelterBox Hong Kong having hosted a rock concert to raise funds and built a partnership with the Scouts.

ShelterBox Indonesia held a hugely successful golf tournament fundraising event and a regional meeting for affiliates in Jakarta.

Response Team members from ShelterBox Philippines deployed to help families affected by devastating Typhoons Nesat, Nalgae and Washi in the Philippines.

Oceania

Response Team volunteers from ShelterBox in Australia were deployed to disasters worldwide including Madagascar, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Japan, Kenya, Thailand and Turkey to deliver emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies.

Speakers from ShelterBox New Zealand gave excellent motivational talks throughout the country, with a focus on spreading the Young ShelterBox programme through schools.

Southern Africa

ShelterBox Southern Africa carried out a project with school children to write a blog to raise funds and awareness for ShelterBox.

Northern America

ShelterBox Canada’s Ambassador volunteer network doubled in size in 2011, raising awareness throughout the country and receiving great national media coverage.

In America ShelterBox USA forged partnerships with Boy Scouts of America and Youth Service America to engage young people in global citizenship and disaster relief awareness.

South America

Scouts from Brazilian Scout Group Mafeking worked with ShelterBox Brazil to help pitch ShelterBox tents in Rio do Sul after floodwaters submerged eighty percent of the town.

Northern Europe

Rotarian Cagri Han Karatas, a representative from ShelterBox Denmark, provided translation services for the ShelterBox Response Team on deployment in Turkey after the earthquake that struck in October.

ShelterBox Norway partnered with other organisations and charities to help raise the profile of ShelterBox and to raise funds to help families affected by disasters.

ShelterBox Sweden attended the World Scouting Jamboree in Rinkaby, Sweden, where the King of Sweden expressed his support for ShelterBox.

Young ShelterBox (YSB) is growing fast in the UK and ShelterBox UK and Ireland was pleased to launch the second YSB children’s book in November 2011.

Southern Europe

ShelterBox Italy Center held their inauguration in October 2011 and already has an impressive 160 members. They also held a successful Christmas fundraising event.

Rotary and Rotaract have been providing great support for ShelterBox Italy North, who have been raising awareness for ShelterBox by hosting numerous public events.

ShelterBox Portugal has carried out a range of events with Rotary to raise awareness of the needs of people affected by disasters.

Western Europe

Masters students have been supporting ShelterBox BeLux (Belgium and Luxembourg) to develop its communications. They have had a great response from international, national and local media.

ShelterBox France developed a strong working relationship with the French Red Cross. ShelterBox and the French Red Cross will work together to ensure that emergency shelter reaches people in need as quickly and efficiently as possible after a disaster strikes.

ShelterBox Germany has embraced and developed social media as a tool to raise awareness of ShelterBox’s work around the world.

The ShelterBox Urban Challenge in Amsterdam in September, organised by ShelterBox Netherlands, was a huge success.

ShelterBox Switzerland had a successful year with support from corporate sponsors and Rotary.

These are just snap shots of the wide range of activities that each affiliate has been involved in during 2011. To find out more please visit their web sites.

ShelterBox Relief Camps set up in the Philippines

Steve Pickering — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:24:44 +0100

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) is setting up ShelterBox relief camps on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines with help from the Philippines Air Force, Navy and Marines, who are assisting in loading and transporting prepositioned ShelterBoxes from the Filipino city, Clark, to the flood struck island.

Typhoon Washi hit Mindanao on 16 to 18 December, devastating the cities of Cagayan do Oro and Iligan and killing over 1,200 people. Fresh floods brought more misery to the southern Philippines on 28 December forcing more people into evacuation centres.

72-year old Anita Rollejos survived with her 34-year old son Danilo and her grandchildren and they are now living in a ShelterBox tent in the Iligan camp.

‘Me and my husband, Antonio, went to safer grounds as the water was rising so fast but Antonio went back to get some of our belongings and never returned,’ said Anita. ‘My son also lost his wife. Although we are mourning at least we are safe now thanks to ShelterBox.’

Lenida also lost her husband during the storm and is living with her children at the ShelterBox camp in Cagayan de Oro.

‘Our house went down like a deck of cards and so many banana trees swept through it,’ said Lenida. ‘We all held onto a trunk that saved us as it kept us floating above the water. We want to thank ShelterBox for giving us a new home.’

Rotarian Jess Nicdao of ShelterBox Philippines has been supporting SRT Volunteers and working with the country’s military to distribute emergency shelter.

‘The Navy has also offered to provide transport for future deliveries of ShelterBoxes and tents from the ports to any destination in the Philippines,’ he said. ‘This is the first time we have had assistance from the military here and is an invaluable partnership.’

ShelterBox continues to deliver ShelterBoxes and tents to families affected by the floods with support from local Rotarians and aid agencies including the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

View more photos from the Philippines on the ShelterBox Flickr page here.

ShelterBox continues to distribute aid in Philippines

Steve Pickering — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:33:53 +0100

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) continues to distribute urgently needed aid in the Philippines as fresh flooding stretches relief operations on the island of Mindanao. More than1200 lives have been reported lost and many thousands of people have lost their homes following the devastation wreaked by tropical storm Washi.

Response Team volunteer Abner Tayco said: ‘The evacuation site conditions are so unbearable, like the one in Macasandig Basketball Court where there are 2521 families. You cannot move to the other side without stepping on someone’s sleeping mat, it is so dense. Children are the ones most affected.’

Abner and his fellow Response Team volunteer Sonny Ongkiko, supported by Jess Nicdao of ShelterBox Philippines, have been working with Rotarians in the area, the Philippines military and other aid agencies on the ground to get enough aid for 600 families rapidly to the affected area.

The team will be joined on Saturday by SRT volunteer Arnold Kelly from New Zealand who has deployed to the region before. Arnold said: ‘The Philippines can certainly throw up challenges for us in all aspects of our job.’ Arnold will be assisting with the ongoing needs assessment and delivery of aid in the area.

Rotary and ShelterBox working together in the Philippines

Steve Pickering — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:28:08 +0100

Rotarians from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, towns in Mindanao that were worst affected by Typhoon Washi on 16 December, have offered their assistance to the ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) on deployment in the Philippines to help put up ShelterBox tents.

Response team volunteers Abner Tayco (PH) and Jesus Nicdao (PH), arrived in the country’s second largest island on 20 December. They found many families in need of emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies, having had their homes swept away by the flash floods.

With nearly 1,000 people dead and over 280,000 displaced by the late-season tropical storm, Philippines President Benigno Aquino has declared a national calamity, according to the BBC:

‘First priority is to relocate to areas that no longer pose a danger to them,’ he told a meeting in Cagayan de Oro.

The ShelterBox team has been working with the local government to find suitable safe sites to pitch the ShelterBox tents. Abner and Jesus have also been demonstrating to volunteers from local Rotary clubs how to set up the ShelterBox tents.

‘The assistance we have had from Rotary has been invaluable here,’ said Jesus, himself a Rotarian and also Chairman and Founder of ShelterBox Philippines. ‘It is possible for Abner and I to set up the tents ourselves but it would have been a much slower process. Now that we have shown the Rotarians how to do it, they will be able to help us set up camps rapidly. This will allow families who have lost everything to soon begin to rebuild their lives, offering them shelter, warmth and dignity - assets everyone should have so close to Christmas.’

Prepositioned ShelterBoxes in the Philippine city of Clark have enabled the charity’s quick response and are being flown to the affected areas by the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Philippine Air Force helps ShelterBox

Steve Pickering — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 17:31:23 +0100

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has agreed to help ShelterBox distribute emergency shelter, if needed, to southernmost Philippine island Mindanao after a tropical storm struck on 16 December.

Jose Ongkiko (PH) and Abner Tayco (PH) will be part of the ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) arriving in Mindanao on Tuesday 20 December to assess the need for emergency shelter. The SRT leader will be Rotarian Jesus Nicdao, Chairman and Founder of ShelterBox Philippines.

Raging floodwaters cascaded from the mountains in Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines, after 12 hours of non-stop rain from late-season Typhoon Washi. Nearly 700 people were asleep as they were swept to their deaths, according to Associated Press. Cagayan de Oro and Iligan were the towns that were hit hard by the floods forcing tens of thousands of people out of their homes to head for higher ground.

Philippine National Red Cross Secretary General Gwen Pang said that Mindanao is a mineral-rich region that also produces rice and corn but is not normally in the path of the average 20 typhoons that hit the Southeast Asian country each year:

‘This poses challenges to us… We need to educate people with this kind of change in climate. The volume of rainfall for one month fell in just one day.’

‘The feeling is overwhelming as I prepare for deployment. The region is unaccustomed to the typhoons that are common to other areas of the archipelago,’ said SRT Volunteer Abner. ‘Thousands are left homeless and hundreds are still missing. In this season of giving, ShelterBox will provide temporary shelter and comfort to those who have lost everything.’

There are over 500 pre-positioned ShelterBoxes in the Philippine city of Clark to enable rapid support. To find out how you can give the gift of shelter this holiday season, please click here.

ShelterBox assessing need for emergency aid in Philippines

Steve Pickering — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:03:19 +0100

ShelterBox are mobilising a Response Team in the Philippines to assess the need for emergency shelter following devastating storms and flash floods.

Rescue efforts are continuing on the island of Mindanao as over five hundred people are reported to have lost their lives and many hundreds are still unaccounted for. Thousands more people have been displaced after the tropical storm Washi hit the area on Friday night, coinciding with high tides on the island, causing rivers to break their banks. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed and thousands of families have been made homeless, with many sheltering in evacuation centres according to the Philippine's authorities.

ShelterBox is liaising with its Philippine affiliate, Rotarians on the ground and highly trained volunteer Response Team members in the area to assess what support can be offered. ShelterBox has deployed to the Philippines eight times in the last five years and holds pre-positioned stock in the country to enable rapid support.

Jess Nicdao who is en route to the affected area said 'This is the first time we have deployed to Mindanao - with the help of our Rotary friends, I am sure we can provide the much needed help.'

ShelterBox End of Year Review

Steve Pickering — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:46:27 +0100

ShelterBox end of year report: Intro animation 2 from ShelterBox on Vimeo.

More than 15,000 ShelterBoxes have been distributed this year helping over 15,000 families made homeless by disasters around the world. In February, ShelterBox was named Charity of the Year out of 7,000 charities at the 2011 JustGiving Awards. ShelterBox volunteers and the organisation’s Founder and CEO Tom Henderson were awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award (US) for their efforts to provide shelter, warmth and dignity to survivors of disasters worldwide. ShelterBox has grown on an international scale with over 20 affiliates around the globe and is now recognised as one of the most innovative and leading disaster relief agencies providing emergency shelter in the world. These are just some of ShelterBox’s highlights from 2011.

As the New Year approaches, to recognise all of the efforts from our workers, volunteers, donors and supporters, ShelterBox has produced an interactive magazine that reflects on the charity’s highlights throughout the year, which without any of you, wouldn’t have been achieved. Thank you.

Click here to go to the End of Year Review

Evolution in the ShelterBox Solution

Steve Pickering — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:12:25 +0100

A displaced family in Turkey using the solar lights providing them with light.

Not only does ShelterBox strive to respond fast in a disaster to reach affected families in the shortest time possible but the charity also is constantly improving the quality of the ShelterBox aid.

Innovation is a key value for the disaster relief organisation. It enables ShelterBox to deliver the best aid package possible for people made homeless by disasters, providing them with shelter, warmth and dignity.

Midi tents, thermal layers and solar lights are this year’s new items available as part of the ShelterBox Solution.

Midi tents

Midi tents are a more compact version of the ShelterBox disaster relief tent. They have been designed to offer a solution for varying occupancy levels and disaster conditions.

‘The benefits of midi tents are that they are smaller to transport, easier to put up and take up less space,’ said ShelterBox Head of Operations John Leach. ‘They are therefore ideal for responses where space is at a premium or where temporary shelter is required for a shorter amount of time.’

Midi tents used in Thailand during the recent floods.

ShelterBox Response Teams (SRTs) recently distributed 1,000 midi tents in Thailand following the latest floods. They were a quick and effective solution as they are faster to distribute and are designed for families who may need to move their tent regularly. Displaced Thai families are able to use them temporarily until the water levels recede and can also move them easily if the water table shifts.

This new option enables ShelterBox to target aid effectively and to make donors’ money go further.

Thermal layer

The ShelterBox’s disaster relief tent now has an optional purposefully designed thermal layer for extreme conditions. It can be added between the inner and outer sheets for extra insulation, improving the tent’s versatility in varying climates.

The thermal layers were used for the first time during ShelterBox’s recent deployment to Turkey following the earthquake that struck on 23 October. Temperatures plummeted below freezing but the added thermal layer made all the difference to the comfort of the displaced families.

Turkey’s emergency rescue services, AKUT, helped distribute the tents to the most affected areas. One team were all mountaineers from Istanbul and they slept in a tent with the added thermal layer:

‘We loved the tent because it was so warm. We know our mountaineering equipment and the third layer is key to the insulation.’

Displaced Turkish family enjoying the tent's warmth from the added thermal layer.

Solar lights

Nokero solar light bulbs are included as a lifesaving item in the ShelterBox kit providing light to disaster victims. They were also used for the first time in Turkey when millions of people lost power following the earthquake.

'Nokero solar lights were chosen to be part of the elite ShelterBox response kit after rigorous study and research by the ShelterBox team,' said John. 'This is their first deployment in the field, and so far they are performing admirably.'

With little access to candles or torches, affected families received five solar light bulbs as part of each ShelterBox. Every bulb brings hours of light every night for about 18 months before its AA rechargeable battery must be replaced.

The ShelterBox Solution is constantly evolving to provide the best emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for people affected by disasters, enabling them to live in dignity and safety.

ShelterBox at the Rotary Club of Copenhagen's 90th Anniversary

Steve Pickering — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:42:57 +0100

ShelterBox was present at the 90th Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Copenhagen and Rotary in Denmark, which was held at the Odd Fellow Palæ in Central Copenhagen on Wednesday, November 30^th, 2011.

The special guests were RI President Kalyan Bannerjee and his wife Binota and HRH Prince Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark, who is the Protector of the Club.

President Kalyan Banerjee came by the ShelterBox display no less than 3 times and showed enthusiasm and interest in the project.

There was much interest from the many Rotarians present from around Denmark, whose clubs had generously donated boxes at the time of the Haiti earthquake. They were encouraged to consider going to the ‘next level’, to create awareness in their local communities with schools, scouts and companies.

Click here for a slideshow of photos from the event

'ShelterBox – thank you!'

Steve Pickering — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:05:19 +0100

The Prince of Thailand has thanked ShelterBox for its involvement in the floods with its fast response and distribution of emergency aid, improving the lives of thousands of displaced people.

‘The Prince summoned me and the local Rotary District Governor to meet with him at an evacuation centre, as he wanted to understand more of what ShelterBox was doing in Thailand,’ ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) member Scott Robinson (US) explained. ‘He was very impressed with our fast distribution of tents and was grateful for the work that ShelterBox has been doing to help the country.’

SRT members have been working hard over the past two months providing emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies to families affected by the worst flooding the Asian country has experienced in over 50 years.

Scott and Abner Tayco (PH), another SRT member, have been concentrating their efforts in Nonthaburi, the most densely populated and second largest province after Bangkok - its neighbouring city. Since mid-October it has been cut off from civilisation due to floodwaters not receding.

High waters

Families have been living along roadsides and on bridges either in the back of trucks or in makeshift shelters. Some have draped tarpaulin over tractors and farm equipment to escape the high waters.

The ShelterBox Response Team has been distributing ShelterBoxes throughout the region and putting up tents at dry, accessible locations helping hundreds of families.

‘I have not been able to work for two months and my children cannot walk to school as the canal has overflowed over the path they take,’ one displaced mother told Scott. ‘We rely on selling fruit and vegetables but the trees in our mango grove are dying due to the floods. For now we have shelter and when the waters recede we will be able to use the toolkit to rebuild our home and our lives. Thank you ShelterBox!’

The SRT members have also been working with the Thai Red Cross to set up tents at evacuation centres at schools across Nonthaburi. Families had been living in the classrooms but they soon found refuge in ShelterBox tents. The tents not only provided them with shelter, warmth, dignity and comfort but also freed up the classrooms so that children could return to school.

ShelterBox has distributed over 1000 tents and 2500 mosquito nets in Thailand with the help of the Thai Red Cross, Rotarians and the local government and continues to assess for further need.

Medical villages set up using ShelterBox tents

Steve Pickering — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:32:54 +0100

Drought and on-going conflict in Somalia have forced over one million people to leave their homes. Around 400,000 people have been living in internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camps in the coastal town of Mogadishu.

ShelterBox has been working in partnership with Women And Health Alliance (WAHA) International to set up tents at IDP camps near medical centres to house patients and their families, particularly hospitalised women who cannot leave their children. These ‘medical villages’ offer shelter, comfort and dignity to those most vulnerable.

Eric Otieno is WAHA International’s Medical Co-ordinator and he has been helping put up the tents at the camps.

‘There has been heavy rain in Mogadishu over the past few days therefore the displaced people have greatly benefited from the ShelterBox tents,’ said Eric. ‘So far 60 tents have been set up at Forlanini Hospital camp and 35 tents have been set up at Badbadoo Camp.

‘Approximately 6,000 families reside at Badbadoo IDP camp. Many have heart-wrenching stories of how the war uprooted them from their farms. Almost every family has lost a relative, or has a relative injured by the effects of war.’

Rebuilding lives

With the recent rainfall, 50 ShelterBoxes have been set aside to assist agricultural families who need to return to their homes to tend to their farms. A ShelterBox will provide each family with items to help them start rebuilding their lives, including a tent, tools, cooking equipment, waterproof ground mats and a children’s activity pack.

Further shelter has been provided with over 300 ShelterBox tents set up at Rajo camp, one of the areas worst affected by the downpours.

‘Old shelters constructed of tarpaulin and sticks have been replaced with ShelterBox tents,’ explained Eric. ‘The joy on the faces of the beneficiaries was quite telling. The tents came just in time!’

See the latest slideshow from Somalia here

ShelterBox's response to floods in Colombia receives praise

Steve Pickering — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:57:46 +0100

A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) has arrived in Colombia to assess the need for emergency aid following flooding and landslides caused by one of the worst rainy seasons the South American country has suffered in decades.

SRT members Mark Dyer (US) and Per Dahlstrom (CA) will be meeting with Colombia’s National System for the Prevention and Attention of Disasters (SINPAD) over the next few days to identify the areas of greatest need for shelter and lifesaving supplies.

The torrential rains have disrupted the lives of over 325,000 people, destroyed swathes of farmland and hundreds of homes.

Alf Evans, the ShelterBox Operations Manager, said that ShelterBox responded immediately to the disaster.

‘Within twenty four hours of the alert, contact was made with the SRT members, they were briefed on Colombia’s situation and they arrived in Bogota at the early hours of this morning to assess need,’ Alf explained. ‘We act fast and we strive to reach families in the shortest time possible.’

ShelterBox’s efforts in its quick response to the current floods as well as previous disasters have received praise from the Colombian President and First Lady.

ShelterBox’s Head of Operations John Leach and Head of International Fundraising and Communications Becky Maynard were invited to meet with Colombia's First Lady María Clemencia Rodríguez along with her husband President Juan Manuel Santos in London on 21 November.

‘It was a huge honour to meet with them and discuss the current disaster,’ says Becky, also an SRT member. ‘ShelterBox can work proactively in its response to the recent floods having this support from the highest level. This makes deployments run smoothly and allows aid to be delivered to the most vulnerable in the quickest time frame.’

Prepositioned stock in Bogota will allow for instant response to the disaster if needed.