Rotary is involved in disaster relief both regionally and internationally.
Shelterbox International grew out of a Rotary Club project, and is now a world authority on providing innovative, rapid and practical shelter to families in some of the worlds’ hardest-to-reach places and most devastated disaster zones.
There are now almost 60 million people forced from their homes due to natural disasters or conflict, the greatest number since WW2. Since its founding in 2000, Shelterbox has helped more than one million people worldwide rebuild their lives and it now has affiliate operations across Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia.
A pacesetter, ShelterBox strives to source equipment and delivery methods that will place shelter quickly into the hands of the vulnerable when they need it most. From family-sized tents to ShelterKits containing all the essential tools needed to start repairing and rebuilding homes, to SchoolBoxes that contain everything needed to get classrooms up and running. The charity’s signature green boxes – durable and highly portable – are now a familiar and welcome sight in humanitarian emergencies worldwide.
Our Rotary Club has been a very generous donator and fundraiser for Shelterbox.
While Shelterbox has become a separate organisation focused on disaster relief worldwide, in NZ we have another locally-based response option which is mostly focused on disasters in the Pacific. Emergency Response Kits (ERKs) are distributed following disasters including tsunami, cyclones and floods in Oceania and the South Pacific.
In an emergency, the most pressing need is for basic supplies to help a family survive the first few days. Pacific Island communities can be difficult to reach therefore ERKs must be light enough to be airlifted and carried by two people, and they are kept in safe storage close to where they’re likely to be needed. They can be distributed within days, sometimes hours, of a humanitarian emergency.
Each ERK holds over 60 items packed in a 78-litre container which can be used to treat drinking water – there are purifying tablets for this purpose.
With a little ingenuity, families can create a shelter from tarpaulins using the hammer and nails provided. There’s a folding shovel for digging trenches. Food is key so there’s fishing gear, a hunting knife, and cooking equipment. As well as basic clothing, there are bed covers for warmth. Maintaining hygiene and treating minor injuries is important too; a medical pack with items such as soap, painkillers and antiseptic cream provides the basics.
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