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.

‘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.  

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.

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).

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 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  

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 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

See the latest slideshow from Somalia here

Two powerful earthquakes and continuous damaging aftershocks have destroyed buildings and homes in southeast Turkey over the past month, leaving thousands of families displaced.

ShelterBox Response Team member Tony Williams (UK) found a mother and her child sleeping rough in the cold streets of Van, the city that has suffered the most damage. 

‘I came across Mrs. Karman with her baby boy sleeping under bits of cardboard amongst the rubble-filled streets here,’ he said. ‘We moved them immediately to one of the camps ShelterBox has set up in the city with the Turkish Red Crescent Society (IFRC).’ 

Away from the harsh weather conditions, Mrs. Karman and her son are now living in a ShelterBox tent with emergency supplies to hand including warm blankets, a cooking stove and utensils, a water filter and a children’s activity pack. 

Camps have also been set up for families in affected villages surrounding Van. 

‘The tent is really warm and now we all feel safe,’ said Ennus, a nine-year-old recipient. ‘Thank you ShelterBox.’ 

Immediate response

ShelterBox immediately responded to the first earthquake on 23 October by deploying a ShelterBox Response Team to Van to assess need there. Since then, 870 ShelterBoxes have been distributed and over 10,000 sets of hats, gloves and scarves have been sent for children and adults. 

SRT member Ian Neal (UK) is in Van and has also been helping others not directly affected by the earthquakes. Being a qualified firefighter, Ian was the first to respond to a car crash that occurred outside the hotel where the ShelterBox Response Team is staying on 19 November. He instantly began working on stabilising the driver who allegedly suffered a serious head injury until the ambulance arrived to take over.  

ShelterBox Response Team member Ian Neal recalls the moment the earthquake struck in Van last night. Listen to Ian's recollection and see how the team have worked alongside search and rescue teams in Van online here  or see the latest photos here