ShelterBox in Action - 2024

In 2024 ShelterBox responded in 17 different countries or regions, after hurricanes, flooding, conflict and tropical cyclones helping 270,000 people.

These responses included:

Gaza
In Gaza almost all buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including houses, schools, and hospitals. At least 1.9 million people have been displaced, 70,000 people in northern Israel and around 1 million people in Lebanon with families having to move again and again. The need for shelter is overwhelming in the Middle East, winters can be cold and wet and ShelterBox worked with local partners to distribute aid including tents, plastic sheeting, rope, tarpaulins, mattresses, bedding sets, washing sets, hygiene and kitchen kits.

Lebanon
As the war in Gaza rages on ShelterBox note it is now having a devastating effect in Lebanon, buildings have been reduced to rubble and people have fled airstrikes with only what they can carry and without the essentials they need to survive. Whilst the ceasefire offers people a glimmer of hope, many have lost everything and although people have begun returning home, tens of thousands do not have safe and secure homes to return to and will remain displaced or living in damaged homes for the foreseeable future requiring humanitarian assistance. ShelterBox, partnering with a community aid organisation based in Lebanon, supported displaced people in collective shelters with thermal blankets and hygiene kits. They also funded cleaning items like brooms, floor mops, and soap that people can use to keep shared shelters tidy and as clean as is possible when conditions are crowded.

Philippines
Every year, around 20 tropical storms sweep across the Philippines. It’s one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, affected by extreme weather, earthquakes, and active volcanoes. At the end of the year, it was hit by six tropical storms - back-to-back in less than a month. ShelterBox have a team permanently based in Cebu with stored emergency shelter and liaised closely with the Rotary Executive Director of Disaster Management Incorporated (DMI) of D3860 to understand what emergency shelter is required and the most efficient way to get aid to people who need it most.

Syria
The Assad regime has fallen which marks a historic turning point after nearly 14 years of conflict and heralds an extremely uncertain time for the people of Syria. More than half of the pre-war population of Syria have been displaced; many are without adequate shelter, living in collective centres, old tents, or makeshift shelters in camps and 16m people still need humanitarian assistance. ShelterBox were able to respond with blankets and mattresses for new arrivals but further aid distributions with their local partner were paused until it was safe to continue. Winter aid distributions in northwest Syria to provide tarpaulins, rope, warm clothing, shoes, and high thermal blankets to families during the bitterly cold Syrian winter have now resumed.

Mozambique
The conflict in northern Mozambique has been causing widespread displacement since 2017 and is one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the world. People are having to move again and again as areas become unsafe because of the escalating violence. As of March 2024, over 780,000 people (80% women and children) have been forced to leave their homes. The need for shelter is huge, with families sleeping outdoors, exposed to harsh weather, disease and other protection risks. On top of this on 15 December 2024 Tropical Cyclone Chido hit Mozambique, damaging homes, roads and other buildings. Over 170,000 people were affected, ShelterBox provided support with shelter kits, tarpaulins, solar lights, kitchen sets, sleeping mats, and mosquito nets to the vulnerable communities affected by the conflict and those by Tropical Cyclone Chido with blankets, sleeping mats, kitchen sets, woven bags, mosquito nets and solar lights.

Ethiopia
Ethiopia is in crisis. Millions of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violent conflict, rising hunger and economic instability all of which have left millions of people in need. ShelterBox have supported over 157,000 people in Ethiopia since 2018. Working with their local partner, ShelterBox, in project 7, supported a total of 35,000 people in the Afar and Somali regions in 2024 with tarpaulins, rope, blankets, sleeping mats, mosquito nets, water carriers and kitchen sets which help people to survive in the increasing insecurity.

Somalia
Looming famine, deadly drought and conflict has caused more than 1.7 million people to flee their homes in Somalia. As a result many people are living in unfit conditions with basic needs not met, privacy and protection concerns with women and children especially vulnerable. ShelterBox provided the materials and technical guidance to their local partner to construct locally appropriate shelters, built using timber framing and tarpaulins. In 2024 project 2 supported more than 2,3000 vulnerable families with mosquito nets, solar lights, blankets and kitchen sets.

Malawi
Heavy rainfall in Malawi in early 2024 led to severe flooding and more than 12,000 displaced people in central Malawi. The floods also destroyed crops, roads and bridges. People displaced by the floods have been living in schools and other community buildings, or with host families. Thousands more sought shelter in displacement camps, where there were already families living displaced by Cyclone Freddy in 2023. ShelterBox responded with pre-positioned aid following that cyclone including - tarpaulins, groundsheets, tools, water filters and carriers, kitchen sets, solar lights, thermal blankets and mattresses.

Bangladesh
In May 2024, Cyclone Remal made landfall in Bangladesh and was the most devastating storm to hit Bangladesh for some years bringing devastating winds and intense flooding that destroyed or severely damaged around 170,000 homes. ShelterBox partnered with a local aid organisation focusing on helping people build emergency shelters with corrugated iron sheeting, timber, bamboo, rope and fixings; to support with rebuilding, they also gave cash assistance to help families transport aid items and hire local tradespeople to help them build homes.

Yemen
Yemen is one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises as is a result of the bitter civil war, starvation, and a failing economy. A 2022 ceasefire came to an end in October 2024. The conflict has internally displaced 4.5 million people since 2015. ShelterBox have previously provided people who are newly displaced with a UN family tent as well as water filters, blankets, sleeping mats, solar lights, mosquito nets, water carriers, washing facilities and kitchen sets. They are now working to provide households with more durable shelters known as ‘iron net’ shelters which consist of an iron net frame on a concrete base, thermal insulation and a corrugated steel outer shell as well as priority shelter items such as mattresses and blankets. Shelter kits containing tarpaulin and rope were also made available to those affected by sudden onset disasters, such as flooding.

Ukraine
ShelterBox continued to respond with aid in Ukraine and have helped more than 37,000 people so far not only those displaced within Ukraine but also refugees who crossed the border into Moldova. They are currently concentrating on supporting people through the bitter winter months reaching around 30,000 more people with essential items - thermal blankets, clothing, and emergency repair kits (which will help people fix damaged roofs, seal windows and doors, keep the heat in and make homes watertight) to help them survive.

Caribbean
In July 2024 Hurricane Beryl left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean islands. Entire communities were living out in the open or in overcrowded buildings like schools. ShelterBox are partnered with Rotary to get emergency shelter aid and other essential items more than 600 families in Grenada where, most buildings, homes and schools, were damaged or destroyed.  This aid included tents as well as essential items like mosquito nets, solar lights, and cooking sets.

ShelterBox have also responded in Cameroon, Chad and Burkino Faso providing for people displaced by the conflict and climate crises more permanent durable shelter that can withstand long-term use and weathering over time.