When disaster strikes, and families are left without shelter, it's hard to imagine what they must be going through. That's where Shelter Box comes in. Landon Smith, a board member for the non-profit organisation, knows firsthand Shelter Box's impact on communities worldwide. As an employee of PwC, which supports non-profits like Shelter Box, Landon has seen the organisation's global humanitarian efforts firsthand. Founded in 2000, Shelter Box hand-delivers emergency shelters to those affected by disaster and conflict. With 14 affiliates worldwide, the organisation's reach continues to expand, providing vital support to those in need.
Over 113 million people worldwide are displaced by disaster – more than at any time in history, of which 35 million are children. Landon advised that every minute 25 people are displaced, by the end of our Rotary dinner, 500 people will have been displaced, rising to 1,500 people by the end of our meeting.
Shelter Box support is possible because of the individual Rotary Clubs who donate, the contributions of public donors, and corporate sponsorships.
The criteria for Shelter Box response include the following:
- permission to respond
- number of families needing help
- type of aid
- length of time support will be needed
- supporting the most vulnerable
- shelter box resources
- safety
- global development index rating
- positive impact
- other non-shelter aid items
Shelter Box is helping in Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, and another nine countries. Some of the items they provide include shelter kits for repairs (tarps, hoses, nails, basic tools), water filters, carrier and hygiene supplies, warm winter clothing, cooking stoves, solar lights, ground mats and blankets, and family-sized tents. There are 74 different items available. Shelter Box contacts the country they are working with to identify what is most needed and relevant and then organises its supply.
Following earthquakes, 2 million people lost homes in Turkey, and 80k people were displaced in Syria (one of the world’s most seismic areas), where 20k buildings were completely destroyed in the north of the country. Shelter Box has been responding to Syria since 2012. Projects include: (1) providing 2k households with mattresses, tents, blankets, solar lights, stoves and warm clothing; (2) partnering with Relief Aid to support new arrivals into displacement camps with household items – mainly blankets, mattresses and winter coats.
In Ukraine, people cannot flee because of the roading network's destruction and/or blockages. Shelter Box has been active since day one, providing support to people in:
- Collective centres – providing warm clothes and mattresses to old churches, gyms, and government buildings where there are places for people to stay while they are evacuating.
- Living in damaged buildings – providing shelter kits, heavy thermal blankets, water carriers, and hygiene kits to help people function and fix their houses. To receive this support people have to be living in a place that has two functional walls which are structurally sound.
- Refugee situations for people who are travelling long distances – providing cash to buy groceries and supplying clothes, mattresses, and warm blankets.
In Pakistan, Shelter Box provided the first response when 33m or 50% of the population was affected, and 1 million was displaced due to massive flooding throughout the country. This support involved providing tents, tarps, blankets, and solar lights to 3,700 households across two projects and enabling families to establish longer-lasting shelters via a third project.
Shelter Box relies on other organisations with AFAD registration (such as search and rescue, supply chain and logistic businesses) to get products into their countries. It tries to make its operations sustainable by training people on the ground (local people and Rotary Clubs) in using the equipment so that local people can take care of the initiative.
Shelter Box support is possible because of the individual Rotary Clubs who donate, the contributions of public donors, and corporate sponsorships. Grants are not available because emergency disaster relief is not sustainable.
The organisation is continually seeking support, and people can be part of their work by being:
- Volunteers via a club liaison point that Shelter Box can keep in touch with via newsletters
- Ambassadors who go out and give presentations about Shelter Box
- Part of Team Shelter Box, supplying capabilities that are most needed (currently legal)
- A member of Response Teams, which are generally young and fit demographics for help on the ground.
Questions to Landon from club members:
Q: Is there a depot in New Zealand where things congregate?
A: Most operations are based in the UK. There are 6-8 locations worldwide where Shelter Box strategically locates equipment close to areas requiring a response. There are none in New Zealand.
Q: What is AFAD registration?
A: It is an organisation with some religious link or is always on the ground in the country.
Q: What does a shelter box cost?
A: Generally, depending on the content, it is $1,500 USD, including logistics. In the past, boxes could be tracked, but this is no longer possible because of the scale, the number of places that are being served, and the high administrative burden.
Q: What assurance do we have that money is disbursed to the right areas?
A: Shelter Box has a commitment to less than 10% of the operational cost being administration. All of the Board are volunteers, one contractor helps with growth and is grant funded, and the UK and US are audited every year.
Q: Do we know if New Zealand Rotary clubs send much money?
A: We are on par with Norway, which is about the size of New Zealand. We are trying to become the highest per capita of countries providing contribution and are not too far off.
Q: Did Shelter Box consider sending boxes to New Zealand spots in need because of the floods and cyclones?
A: Shelter Box does not respond to 1st world countries
Bruce Wackrow thanked Landon for his time and interesting presentation and acknowledged the mess Shelter Box helps to sort out and the significance of that effort.