ShelterBox Update – January 2016

Posted by Stephanie Christensen 
 
By Stephanie Christensen, Executive Director, ShelterBox Canada
 
Rotary and ShelterBox Make A Difference
 
Rotary clubs and Rotarians across Canada raised over $1,014,000 for ShelterBox Canada in 2015. This money has been used to help thousands of people around the world. 
 
In January 2015 ShelterBox responded to severe flooding in Malawi. Over the course of our response, 1400 families were assisted. One lady named Eliza, is blind. Instead of having to move her into an unfamiliar tent, ShelterBox Response Teams used a ShelterKit to repair her home so that she could stay in her home, a place she knows by touch. ShelterBox has diversified its aid to ensure that in every case we can provide the best option possible.
 
When a ShelterBox Team returned to Malawi eight months later to evaluate how effective the aid was, our teams were so pleased to see  that beside almost every ShelterBox tent, the majority of a new permanent home had been built. ShelterBox aid provided immediate shelter, and also helped these families rebuild their lives.

Village leaders told our teams “You came when no one else did, we would do anything for ShelterBox because we are so thankful for your support.”
 
Thank you to everyone who helped make this and every other one of ShelterBox’s responses possible.
 
Current Deployments
 
ShelterBox is currently responding in:
  • Tanzania – Conflict (Refugees from Burundi)
  • Cameroon – Conflict
  • Niger – Conflict (Refugees from Nigeria)
  • North Korea – Storms
  • Syria, Iraq, Greece – Conflict/Refugee Crisis
  • Afghanistan – Earthquake
With colder winter months to come, ShelterBox is also sending winterized aid kits to the Syrian region. For families left out in the cold, warm safe shelter is more important than ever.
 
Donations
 
For clubs or individuals making donations, please fill out our donation form which can be found on our website. This ensures we have the right information. Thank you very much for your support.