ShelterBox in Action 2025

During 2025 ShelterBox responded in 17 countries across the world supporting 201,000 people. ShelterBox point out that reaching communities with vital aid was only made possible with help in each country from local partners, Rotary clubs, volunteers as well as their global network of supporters.

Gaza
Working together with local partners in Gaza and with Rotary in Jordan, ShelterBox has supported around 15,000 people with emergency shelter aid and essential household items since October 2023; ShelterBox stress their partnership with Rotary has been essential in helping to facilitate the movement and storage of aid items into Gaza from Jordan. However, responding to the conflict in Gaza continues to be one of ShelterBox’s most challenging responses to date. Access to aid has been severely restricted by border closures, attacks on convoys, the collapse of previous ceasefires and a long blockade by Israel. ShelterBox has enough tents in Amman to shelter thousands of people and are exploring all options with their partners to scale up their response as soon as access allows.

Myanmar
A powerful earthquake in March devastated regions across Myanmar. The largest in over a hundred years it was so powerful it buckled roads, destroyed homes, schools and hospitals and had a significant impact on water supplies and power lines. In the early phases crucial support was given by Rotary locally and in July they began supporting thousands of people from 36 villages were assisted with repairs to damaged homes, each household also receiving corrugated iron roof sheeting and fixings.

Syria
ShelterBox have been supporting people in Northwest and Northeast Syria which has endured the brunt of the conflict. Winters are harsh, unpredictable, and extreme with temperatures often dropping below freezing, making survival without proper support nearly impossible. Despite the regime change, millions remain dependent on aid. ShelterBox's winterisation projects support people with items like tarpaulins to cover older or worn tents, blankets, and children’s clothing; they have also helped thousands of people to improve their shelters who’ve been displaced in the north.

Sudan
The humanitarian need is huge, with refugees living in makeshift shelters. ShelterBox have supported thousands of people in Darfur with items including kitchen sets, water carriers, sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, and solar lights and are now planning further shelter projects.

Lebanon
In southern Lebanon, people fled airstrikes with only what they could carry. ShelterBox supported people sheltering in communal spaces, such as schools, by providing mattresses and blankets to help protect them from the winter cold.

Yemen
ShelterBox supported people forced to flee their homes with iron framed shelters with concrete bases, thermal insulation and corrugated steel outer shells as well as making items like tarpaulins and rope available for people affected by flooding.

Afghanistan
Following earthquakes families were provided with tents and essential items, such as winter clothing, thermal blankets, kitchen sets and stoves.

Pakistan
Following severe flooding tents and tarpaulins were delivered to the north of the country, together with thermal blankets and other essential items. In the east, tents, tarpaulins and mattresses were provided.

Bangladesh
Thousands of families were affected by devastating fires in densely populated Dhaka. Around 800 families were supported with emergency shelter and household items like bedding and kitchen sets, or cash assistance.

Jamaica
Hurricane Melissa made history as the strongest storm of 2025 and the first Category 5 hurricane to directly hit Jamaica. With winds reaching 185mph, it was the most powerful storm to make landfall anywhere in the world for nearly a century. The hurricane moved slowly over the Caribbean, bringing relentless rain, flash floods, and destructive winds to several countries. Jamaica took the brunt of it; entire communities were devastated, homes were swept away or torn apart, with roofs ripped off and buildings left in ruins. ShelterBox worked with Rotary to support up to 10,000 people with emergency shelter and essential supplies which were shipped from pre-positioned supplies in ShelterBox's newly set up warehouse in Barbados.

Chad
Civil war in Sudan forced around a million people across the border. ShelterBox have been improving shelters and distributing household items as well as supporting people to build hundreds of mudbrick shelters by providing materials, tools, training, and cash assistance.

Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso remains one of the world’s most neglected crisis. Since 2019, violence from armed groups and intercommunal clashes has forced more than two million people - about 1 in 10 - to flee their homes. Many who return find their homes damaged, destroyed, or looted; those caught up in the conflict are also affected by extreme weather, pushing even more people from their homes. Since 2020 tens of thousands of people have been supported with shelter and received support from Rotary in-country. As people remain displaced for a long period, ShelterBox introduced more robust Sahelian tents; locally made from tarpaulins stretched over an iron frame they are designed for the harsh climate of the Sahel. In addition concrete bases have been to protect against flooding and improve hygiene.

Philippines
ShelterBox responded after a series of powerful storms and earthquakes caused widespread destruction in the Philippines in September 2025. Typhoon Bualoi hit just hours after a series of typhoons hit the islands. Days later came the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines in over a decade – striking Cebu. Partnering with Rotary ShelterBox supported thousands of people whose homes were destroyed after the Typhoon with hurricane strapping to strengthen structures, solar lights and cash assistance. ShelterBox and the Rotary clubs of Mandaue East, Cebu, Mandaue, Fort San Pedro, and Cebu North also responded to Typhoon Kalmaegi, supporting up to 10,000 people with tarpaulins and tool kits. They were joined by the Rotaract club of Cebu and members of the Interact Club of Cebu. The vital items from ShelterBox’s Cebu warehouse meant that families could carry out temporary repairs and better protect themselves from wind and rain. Thousands of homes were destroyed when the earthquake struck the northern tip of Cebu Island. Families received different shelter packages with the help of Rotary, depending on their situations. For those with access to land they were helped build transitional shelters with corrugated iron sheets, hurricane strapping and cash to help hire skilled labour. In addition the Cebu Rotary clubs provided clean drinking water, family water filters, community solar lights.

Somalia
Over the last 3 years ShelterBox supported over 75,000 people displaced by complex crises with a mix of shelter kits, transitional shelters, and durable homes. They have also supported nearly 10,000 newly displaced people, mostly female headed households, with pre-positioned aid items.

Cameroon
The Lake Chad Basin is facing a complex crisis. People in the Minawao refugee camp have been supported to improve their homes with materials like tarpaulins, wood, nails and cement as well as community tool kits with reusable items such as hammers and brick moulds.

Mozambique
One of the world’s fastest growing displacement crises. People displaced by conflict have received training to build timber frames for hundreds of transitional shelters.

Ethiopia
Ethiopia is facing a serious humanitarian crisis driven by conflict, insecurity, and climate change. Thousands of people living in communal shelters have been supported with aid packages which have varied depending on needs, but include shelter, cash assistance, reusable sanitary pads and soap.