Our Club is a supporter of the Shelterbox program, which provides essential shelter to disaster victims throughout the world. We raise funds all year around to provide shelterboxes in support of natural or man made disasters.
Please see this video to understand more about the Shelterbox Program
A ShelterBox usually consists of:
10 thermal blankets
A rugged 10 person dome tent
Tools and other survival equipment
It provides:
dry shelter
a warm bed
light and heat
clean water
cooking aids
tools
For up to 10 people: all supplied in a box ... a ShelterBox
How it all got started
Once upon a time, Rotarian Tom Henderson attended a regular meeting of the Rotary Club Helston-Lizard (Cornwall UK). What he said next was to change everything. 'Hey guys, I've had an idea which could bring shelter and beds to people who have become homeless in disasters around the world and all in a single box'. 'Yeah, that sounds a good idea,' we said, 'why don't you look into it?' Well, Tom doesn't need to be told twice! As an ex Royal Navy officer and spending his time generally doing dangerous stuff above and below the sea all over the globe, he went and found all that was needed... tents, sleeping bags, boxes, equipment - the best quality, (with some arm twisting) at the lowest cost.
He put ShelterBox together, it's administered by the Helston-Lizard Club, and boxes are sent world-wide with the help of Rotary Clubs.
ShelterBox Australia is a project of the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills (Vic) and the accredited international affiliate of the ShelterBox Trust UK: it is a company limited by guarantee [ACN 129 338 825] and administers ShelterBox in Australia.
Tom Henderson visited Australia in 2006, then again in 2007 where he spoke at eight Rotary District Conferences. He often says, 'it's only a box.' Well, after thus far providing vital assistance to over 500,000 people worldwide, we simply say, 'that's some box Tom!'
Where ShelterBoxes are used
ShelterBoxes are sent worldwide to disaster areas. Since 2000, more than 500,000 people in some 40 countries have been assisted by ShelterBox ... and the demand continues to exceed supply. ShelterBox is now the largest Rotary Club project in the world.
The need exists ... the need persists.
Whether it be natural disasters or man made destruction ShelterBox is there at the grass roots, helping people in need. There are No borders within Rotary!
100 ShelterBoxes have been requested for each of the following five cities: Miyako, Yamadamachi, Kamaishi, Rikuzentakata and Ofunato.
March 2011
Local government authorities in Japan’s Iwate Prefecture have requested 500 ShelterBoxes to provide emergency shelter and lifesaving supplies for families who lost their homes in last week’s tsunami.
The request came via the local Rotary district and is initially for 100 ShelterBoxes for each of the following five cities: Miyako, Yamadamachi, Kamaishi, Rikuzentakata and Ofunato.
The ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) operating in the country are working in cooperation with the British Embassy, British military personnel and the US military to overcome the logistical challenges they are facing.
It is a seven-hour journey by road from Tokyo to the Iwate Prefecture and with fuel shortages, heavy snow, freezing temperatures and the ongoing nuclear situation there are a range of obstacles to overcome in order to ensure aid reaches the families who need it most.
‘Every disaster is different but this one is certainly posing a unique set of circumstances for us to deal with,’ said SRT member and ShelterBox International Director Lasse Petersen who has been in Japan since last Saturday.
‘We mobilised on day one because we knew there would be a need for the provision of emergency shelter. The specific needs request means we can now begin our distribution and we continue to be ready to respond in whatever capacity is required from us.’
The ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) operating in Japan is continuing its work in the Iwate Prefecture, one of the areas worst affected by the tsunami.
The team has been based in and around Rikuzentakata and Ofinato, two towns which were hit by the full fury of the tsunami. In Rikuzentakata, according to the latest reports, more than 80% of the 8,000 households have been swept away. The town was well prepared against earthquakes and tsunamis but its 6.5 metre high seawall could do nothing to stop the force of the wave.
The number of casualties from the disaster continues to rise and the latest figures from OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) say that there have been 8,649 confirmed deaths and a further 13,262 people missing. Close to 350,000 people are living in emergency evacuation centres throughout the country.
OCHA adds that the most vulnerable groups currently living in the evacuation centres are beginning to suffer from the psychological toll of having spent ten nights in a communal centre, in freezing temperatures, having lost everything in the disaster.
Mayors from the Prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima have highlighted their priority needs as being fuel, temporary shelters, food and medicine.
This is the scene from Ofinato, ten days after the tsunami struck the town. Photograph: Lasse Petersen
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