The image above is of the founders of ShelterBox.  Hailing from a small town in Cornwall, 25 years on, this group's impulse to action has seen over 3 million individuals in 100 or so countries receive critical post-disaster assistance.  That is a triumph of endeavour. Bravo!   It is encouraging to reflect on the impact that small steps and good intentions can achieve, even against seemingly overwhelming circumstances. 

A large year of change for ShelterBox NZ.  The team are regrouping with three new and phenomenal volunteer Board members, who I look forward to introducing to you properly.  There is a particularly busy program for them to lend their support to! Including an exciting campaign designed to be fun and engaging for all ages,  Off The Grid.  OTG is a sponsored event that anyone can do in their own time and place, without onerous preparation or cost.  Follow the link to our campaign website for further info and prepare to mount your own challenge this May! 

Otherwise, as a team, we are determined that ShelterBox be better known in New Zealand than is currently the case.  The magnitude and importance of the work ShelterBox undertakes is critical.  See below for a glimpse of our current work supporting people in direst circumstances. That New Zealand should play our part in supporting this work and the people it is designed to assist, is right and proper.   

With your help, we will achieve this and do an even better job of delivering to our straightforward goal: No one without shelter after a disaster.

All the best.  Looking forward to our work together in this anniversary year.

Brent Eddy, Chair, ShelterBox New Zealand Charitable Trust 

brenteddy@shelterbox.org.nz

“My name is Kamel, I am 44 years old & have four sons & a daughter.” Although Kamel fled for safety & now resides in a displacement camp with her young family, the family still witness violence & destruction every day: “my son was injured in the camp shelling last night. He was sitting in the camp yard, & thank God, he has been discharged from the hospital."

Kamel explains that before the war, “we were living in safety & peace. But now, you can see how the situation has changed. My husband hasn’t worked since the beginning of the war. Life is completely different now.”

Kamel recalls the days they left their home, “they threw leaflets ordering us to evacuate. Then, rockets & gunfire started targeting us. We left the house & rockets & shells were falling on us. I spent an entire hour carrying the children & running. If we hadn't been together, holding onto each other, we would have been separated by the sheer number of displaced people. The whole world was displaced, & you couldn't even recognise your own children because of the crowd of refugees. We managed to escape with the children, running until we reached safety here. We came here because of the pressure. Who would want to leave their home with all the constant shelling? We were forced to come here. I have eight family members with me. It's very difficult, extremely difficult."

Kamel continues to explain what their daily life is like now, “we are spending our days in hardship, thirst, & suffering. We survive on the water and the charitable support we receive. It's definitely a different life compared to before the war. Back then, the children went to school safely, but today things are different. Their father had set up a stall, and a shell hit nearby, with shrapnel landing all around them. My son Yusuf was injured, and all the injuries are from children. What have they done to deserve this?”

"Of course, we are terrified. The sky is open, & there’s shelling everywhere — it’s dangerous. Planes are flying overhead, and the whole world knows we are in danger. Where are we supposed to go?"

Despite the challenges Kamel speaks of, in partnership with PARC, ShelterBox have delivered tents & essential household items in support of the people displaced in Gaza. Kamel concludes the interview with a hopeful message: "Thank God we found a place to stay that offers us some shelter. This tent definitely came from God; without it, we would have been sitting in the sun & on the street.”

remain internally displaced , with repeated cycles of displacement over many years  forcing families into dependency on humanitarian aid.

Working in partnership with BCHR (the Benevolence Coalition for Humanitarian Relief), our Project 3 aims to support at least 950 displaced families living in a displacement site in Marib, a region with a high number of internally displaced people which is particularly underserved. 

The shelter unit designed in this project is modified from that provided in Project 2 based on lessons learned, while retaining key elements such as a concrete base & iron frame. Shelters will be larger to provide more space for families & include an internal partition wall to allow for more privacy. We will also be increasing the quality & thickness of the insulation & repositioning the windows. The aid package to each household includes locally procured mattresses (a proportion of which will be specialised for people with disabilities), blankets, sleeping mats & kitchen sets. In addition, we have proposed the inclusion of an air cooler, commonly used by displaced communities in Marib due to the extremely high temperatures in summer months & harsh climate.  A ShelterBox deployment to monitor progress is planned for April 2025.

kitchen sets & water carriers. Work is also being completed on flood prevention measures.

1,000 newly displaced families. The Sahel tent is designed to shelter families through their first 1.5 years of displacement.  It has become evident, however, that displaced families have been residing in these shelters for a lot longer. We adjusted the design 
to facilitate this, with the construction of a concrete base to protect families from flooding & improve levels of hygiene & dignity. 

All current distributions & construction are complete. Final reporting is due in February. A ShelterBox team deployed in January to understand findings from the project & visit distribution sites.

construction of a more durable mudbrick shelter. At least 2,500 families are receiving kits that include mosquito nets, water carriers, kitchen sets, blankets & stoves. 600 families have received a ‘personal hygiene kit’ to improve everyday living. 

Distributions of personal hygiene items & household items began in December.  A ShelterBox team deployed in December 2024 to assess the prototype mudbrick shelters & agree the project location for emergency shelters.

toothpaste, washing powder, towels, toilet paper & sanitary products. Current distributions were completed 24 January.

At the beginning of October 2024, over 660 emergency shelters had been built & more than 400 additional homes  re-roofed. Final reporting is now complete & the project will be drawn to a close in early 2025

Thank you for helping us turn despair into hope for people all over the world displaced from home as a result of disaster or conflict.

These are people a long way from our home.  But we care without regard to  distance.  And act as we can.

Whakawhetai ki a koe mo to atawhai. Haere pai.