ShelterBox, a humanitarian aid charity that sends emergency help to disaster victims around the world, has become one of the world's biggest charities.
The aid is delivered in large, individually-numbered boxes, each typically containing items selected to provide a family of 10 people with the basics of survival for a minimum of six months.
Previously a small, volunteer-run organisation, the Boxing Day Tsunami of December 2004 pushed ShelterBox onto the world stage.
Still operating from its base in Helston, Cornwall, the charity has transformed into a highly-efficient and professional aid agency that now sets a global standard for disaster relief.
Over the space of just a few years, ShelterBox has raised around £15m and provided aid for an estimated 500,000-plus people, responding to more than 50 emergencies in nearly 40 countries.
Recognition for ShelterBox's work has also come with the announcement of a Royal patron for the charity. In August 2007, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall agreed to become the charity's President.
The concept for ShelterBox came from Tom Henderson, an ex-Royal Navy search-and-rescue diver and marine consultant with expertise in survival needs. Shelter is one of the key needs in a disaster situation - second only to immediate medical response and access to safe drinking water. Mr Henderson - now ShelterBox's general manager - identified the need for a planned package of aid that addressed the shelter/survival needs of disaster victims.
Mr Henderson has been named by Ernst & Young as one the south's Entrepreneurs of the Year 2007. Other recognition has included short listing for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service and a top ranking award from the organisation Intelligent Giving.
ShelterBox is also now believed to be the largest club project in the history of the Rotary organisation, an international network of 32,000 service clubs that draws its membership from business and professional leaders around the world.
In addition to immediate disaster relief, the charity's A Million In Africa project is an ongoing programme to provide aid for people displaced by longer-term problems such as conflict and drought.
Much of the charity's aid sent to Africa has been deployed via United Nations agencies - who have said they could use tens of thousands of ShelterBoxes in the region.
To date the charity has raised about £15m, enabling the provision of aid to an estimated 500,000-plus people. At present, around 45 per cent of income comes as direct donations from the UK public, 30 per cent is raised by UK Rotary clubs and 25 per cent by international affiliates.
What’s in a box?
The principle of ShelterBox's operation is that each box sent contains a selection of equipment to help a family of 10 survive for a minimum of six months following a disaster.
Each ShelterBox normally contains a 10-person tent (made to the charity's design and specifications), plus ancillary equipment such as blankets, groundmats, stove (multifuel or woodburning), cooking equipment, water containers and purification tablets, basic tool kit, children's pack, ponchos and mosquito nets.
Exact contents will vary according to local conditions and needs where the boxes are being sent - based on advice from local contacts, other NGOs operating in the region and the charity’s own volunteers working in the field.
Each box costs £490 - including all materials, packing, storage and distribution to individual recipients worldwide. Based on six months use only - this equates to 27 pence per person per day.
Deployment
Between 1 May 2006 and 30 April 2007, ShelterBox responded to 14 different emergencies in 11 countries.
A total of almost 5,000 boxes were deployed – most contained one tent plus other survival necessities, some contained two tents. Based on the number of tents (nearly 7,000), it is estimated that ShelterBox provided aid for around 67,000-plus people during this period.
Deployments were as follows:
Kenya - May 2006: Conflict - 200 boxes sent.
Romania - May & September 2006: Flooding - 60 boxes (50 tents).
Indonesia (Java) – May/June 2006: Earthquake & volcano - 1,000 boxes (1,600 tents)
Indonesia (Java) - July 2006: Tsunami - 200 boxes
East Timor - July 2006: Conflict - 200 boxes (400 tents)
Ecuador - August 2006: Volcano - 100 boxes (200 tents)
Somalia - August & October 2006: Conflict - 438 boxes
Pakistan - October 2006: Earthquake - 400 boxes (800 tents)
Papua New Guinea - November 2006: Volcano - 100 boxes
Somalia - December 2006: Flood - 200 boxes
Philippines - December 2006: Typhoon - 400 boxes (600 tents)
Kenya - January 2007: Flood - 374 boxes (524 tents)
Bolivia - March 2007: Flood - 600 boxes
Solomons - April 2007: Tsunami - 200 boxes
In addition, ShelterBox also sent 20 boxes of ancillary equipment to Afghanistan for distribution via UK forces (predominantly school packs for children). A further four boxes were given to the Mines Awareness Trust to aid their work in the former Yugoslav republic of Kosovo.
For more information about the charity, visit www.shelterbox.org.
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