ShelterBox in Action - 2019

ShelterBox are immensely grateful for the generous donations of its supporters which allow it to respond to humanitarian disasters around the world.

2019 has been another incredibly busy year with the numbers of displaced people at the highest ever recorded. They provided shelter and life-saving items to over 29,000 families robbed of their homes by disaster and conflict across 9 countries, involving 11 different responses: 4 conflict and 7 natural disaster.

Philippines - the Philippines is no stranger to natural disasters. As a result, ShelterBox has responded in the Philippines more frequently than any other country - an average of nearly twice a year between 2004 and 2019.Typhoon Phanfone was the 21st cyclone to hit the country in 2019. It came just weeks after Typhoon Kammuri had wreaked havoc in early December with its heavy rains, strong winds and powerful storm surges damaging 200,000 homes particularly in the coastal areas where many homes washed out to sea; beaches were covered in the debris of destroyed homes, electricity was wiped out, roads were washed away and scores of fishing boats, the main source of livelihoods, were smashed apart. Working with Rotary and the local government, ShelterBox carried out needs assessments and identified 5 communities to support with shelter kits, tarpaulins and rope and household items tailored to the needs of the community. More than 2,500 households have been supported and distributions are continuing into January 2020.

The Philippines was also hit by 3 powerful earthquakes and aftershocks throughout October 2019 which devastated homes, buildings and infrastructure on the island of Mindanao destroying more than 21,000 homes. ShelterBox distributions were completed at the end of November to 6 communities, sheltering over 1,600 families with tailored aid packages created to meet the needs of the different communities.

Storm Usman hit on 29 December 2018. Heavy rains triggering landslides across the centre of the country and the storm, coinciding the monsoon season, made the landslides and flooding even worse with around 300,000 people being displaced. ShelterBox distributed essential shelter aid - ShelterKits, mosquito nets, water kits low thermal blankets, solar lamps and storage boxes to over 2,000 families with distributions supported by the Catarman and Calbayog Rotary Clubs.

Syria – the conflict is now in its 9th year and working through local partners, ShelterBox have supported over 50,000 families affected by the conflict in Syria and Iraq since 2012. This makes it the largest and most sustained response in their history – but the need is as urgent as ever.

At the beginning of October, Turkey launched an offensive in north-eastern Syria. As warplanes bombed parts of the region tanks arrived at the border and families were left suffering. Throughout December, Syrian government forces, backed by Russian and other international support increased their assault in the province of Idlib. At least a further 200,000 people are believed to have fled the violence in the last few weeks, adding to the hundreds of thousands who have fled to oversubscribed and under-served camps.

ShelterBox are continuing to work with their trusted partners in Syria to support families caught up in the violence distributing winterisation and shelter packages of household items (such as thermal blankets, solar lights, mattresses) and age specific children’s winter clothes to 2,400 families and are working to scale up their response following the latest offensive.

Many Syrians have been displaced several times and the emergency shelter gives families some sense of stability after the constant upheaval. In fact more than half of all Syrians have been forced to flee their homes with 5.6m becoming refugees.

Somaliland - severe drought has affected an estimated 766,000 people since November 2016 and ShelterBox have been working in the area since 2017. Over the last three years the drought has killed up to 80% of the region’s livestock. This has had a devastating effect on the thousands of families who rely on livestock farming, forcing them to flee their homes in search of better grazing land. ShelterBox have been working closely with their partner ActionAid to support families with essential items like tarpaulins, rope mosquito nets, kitchen sets, ground mats, blankets, solar lights and water filters. They have supported nearly 4,500 families so far and are currently planning more projects in the area.

Lake Chad Basin – Lake Chad is a freshwater lake that is located where Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger meet. Boko Haram has been waging an insurgency in Northern Nigeria since 2009 and the violence has since spread to the neighbouring regions of Niger, Chad and Cameroon. Around 10.7 million people in the Lake Chad region are in need of relief assistance. 2.4 million people are estimated to have been displaced and perpetual insecurity continues to drive displacement. ShelterBox have helped over 11,000 families affected by the crisis in the Lake Chad Basin so far providing privacy, dignity and a sense of normality that cuts through the chaos.

Nigeria: in total, 2.4 million families have fled their homes, leaving behind their crops and livelihoods. This has resulted in a food crisis, as more and more families move into poor areas and large refugee camps where shelter, food and water are scarce. Women, in particular, are at risk, as a lack of sufficient shelter increases their vulnerability to gender-based violence. Working in partnership with ACTED, ShelterBox have provided lifesaving items like tents, tarpaulins, shelter kits, kitchen sets, mosquito nets, water carriers, solar lights and blankets. In December 1,263 families were successfully supported with shelter and household items and a further 677 households received a package of household items.

Cameroon: Just 40 miles east of the Nigerian border lies the Minawao camp – a dusty, sprawling refugee camp in the extreme north of Cameroon. It is officially home to over 51,000 refugees, families who have come from Nigeria after escaping Boko Haram. ShelterBox has been working in Minawao camp since 2015 distributing tents, solar lights, ground sheets, mosquito nets and hygiene kits to help families to start paving the road to recovery. They have also provided shelter for families outside of the camp, who have been forced from their homes due to Boko Haram violence, climatic changes or economic pressures. To date, they have provided shelter and essential aid to over 7,000 families.

In 2019 they commenced their 7th project distributing 1,000 tents and 700 tarpaulins and ropes in the camp and 336 shelter kits for distribution off camp, as well as household items distributed across both. By the end of 2019, all distributions had been completed and it is anticipated that Project 8 will begin in January 2020.

Ethiopia - faces combined challenges of conflict, drought and seasonal flooding. Since April 2018 nearly 1m people have been forced to flee because of violent conflicts in the Guji-Gedo zone. Severe flooding has also left thousands of families without homes. These rains have continued, triggering recurrent flooding and landslides. With the help of their partner, ShelterBox have supported over 4,500 to date. Throughout November 2019, 1,100 emergency kits containing tarpaulin, rope, blankets, water carriers, sleeping mats and kitchen sets were distributed to families in West Guji. ShelterBox are currently planning their next project.

Bangladesh - in July 2019, heavy monsoon rains triggered flooding in the low-lying areas leaving one third of the country under water. Flooding during the monsoon season is an annual event. But continuous rain and flooding in neighbouring Nepal and India had an impact in Bangladesh’s two major river systems in the north resulting in water levels rising to their highest in 100 years which damaged roads and vital infrastructure leaving thousands of people stranded and without electricity. More than 66,000 homes were destroyed, 7.3 million people directly affected and an estimated 308,800 people displaced. ShelterBox worked with Rotary and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) to distribute 745 shelter tool kits and tarpaulins.

Paraguay - thousands of families in the capital city, Asuncion, were driven from their homes after devastating flooding in 2019. Torrential rains had been battering the area since March, causing the overflow of the Paraguay River. The unusually heavy rain was linked to the climate pattern El Niño, and it displaced nearly 20,000 families in need of shelter and essential aid. The devastating effects of the disaster could be seen everywhere – from the roofs of mud-swamped homes where some families were camping to survive, to the makeshift shelters that were starting to crumble down after months of exposure to the elements. ShelterBox provided 300 families with essential aid items like solar lights, mosquito nets, blankets and shelter kits.

Malawi - When Cyclone Idai tore through southern Africa in March 2019, it separated parents and children, ripped up homes and destroyed livelihoods. In Malawi the flooding devastated land, livestock and homes. Vast areas were left uninhabitable, homes were completely destroyed and thousands of people were at risk of dangerous diseases like cholera and malaria. It is estimated that over 100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed along with 1 million acres of crops. ShelterBox supported nearly 2,000 families with essential aid -shelter kits, water filters and carriers, mosquito nets, solar lights, and blankets - that allowed them to start rebuilding their lives.