In her May 2020 Newsletter, Allison Kingston, Community Fundraising Coordinator, ShelterBox Canada and a Member of the Rotaract Club of Sarnia-Lambton, talks about Shelterbox responding to current disasters and current Shelterbox operations world wide and thanks Rotarians for their kind contributions. Here's more of her newsletter...
THE DISASTER OF CONFLICT : Meet Falmata
32-year-old Falmata is from Banki in Nigeria. She is a single mother and lives with her four children in an emergency shelter at Minawao Camp, having fled her home to escape violence from Boko Haram. When they arrived in the camp, they stayed in a transit centre with other displaced families. Her first days were very difficult, especially as she had received no news of her husband’s whereabouts. Eventually Falmata received an emergency tent like others at the camp: “I was very satisfied when I got a tent”, she explained.
Despite regaining a sense of privacy thanks to the tent, provided by ShelterBox and IEDA Relief (ShelterBox’s partner on the ground), the issue of collecting water continued to be a problem. One of her main challenges was to find a way to store water for longer periods:
“I received many items, but the ones that are really important are the water carriers. Having water here (in Minawao) is not easy… But now I have the possibility of storing drinking water for two days”, she explained. “I live much better with them (the water carriers).”
Falmata told the team the water carriers are especially useful when storing drinking water. By using containers to store larger quantities of water, her children don’t have to travel to fetch water every day.
ShelterBox remains the only tent provider in Minawao Camp where over 65,000 displaced people are currently living. Peace building is incredibly important to the quality improvement of life for people all over the world, however when that process fails, thousands of refugees are left behind. At ShelterBox we are committed to aiding those displaced families, like Falmata’s in their journey of self-recovery. If you would like to learn more about how we are adapting our response in Minawao Camp in light of COVID-19 visit us at ShelterBoxCanada.org.
ShelterBox Book Club International
Are you a Book Worm or an aspirational one? ShelterBox has launched their Book Club International and wants you to join them! Each month, ShelterBox teams carefully select a compelling story from around the world for book club members to read.
You can join the ShelterBox Book Club community on Facebook for interactive discussion, Q&A with authors, highlights from response team members and more! Read along at your own pace and join the discussion online. You’ll participate in discussion about the book and what you’ve just read, but you’ll also get to learn more about the people and places inspired by these books. You’ll hear from different authors about different perspectives and experiences. And you’ll receive firsthand stories from ShelterBox members who’ve travelled around the world, visiting these countries to deliver aid.
TReaR Read more about how you or your club can volunteer with us: shelterboxcanada.org/actiontoolkit
WHERE WE'RE WORKING NOW:
Read our Current Operations to see more countries your support is working in.
For more information about ShelterBox and to learn more about where we are responding, visit us at www.shelterboxcanada.org/operations-update
The Rotary Action Toolkit
Are you looking for resources to support your fundraising and awareness activities for ShelterBox? Check out our new Rotary Action Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to provide information and tools you need to support the partnership between Rotary and ShelterBox in your communities. Access resources on how to fundraise, volunteer and access our training centre to use resources used by our ShelterBox Response Team members to help with your Club’s communication, goal setting and more. www.shelterboxcanada.org/actiontoolkit Rotary club presidents around the world have also commented. Ace Robin, President of the Mataram Rotary Club, Indonesia, was caught up in the deadly earthquakes that hit Lombok in 2018. Her home survived, but many around her were destroyed. Through an agreement with the government-led response, Ace’s club was central to bringing ShelterBox aid to Indonesia. Thanks to their support, vulnerable members of the community received vital emergency shelter, including families with elderly relatives, pregnant women or new mothers. Ace said: ‘Working with ShelterBox taught us a lot – they showed us how to build shelter and select families to help. It also gave us a chance to show what Rotary is to local people.’ We are grateful for the incredible support and acts of partnership shown by Rotarians and Rotary clubs around the world. If you would like to learn more about the partnership or how your club can support ShelterBox Canada, please visit our Action Toolkit at www.shelterboxcanada.org/actiontoolkit
Yours in Rotary,
Allison Kingston
Community Fundraising Coordinator, ShelterBox Canada
Member of the Rotaract Club of Sarnia-Lambton
Celebrate the Rotary Family:
Host a community event to celebrate the impact of Rotary and ShelterBox’s partnership around the globe. Invite a ShelterBox Volunteer to share stories from the field and learn how your club can become a ShelterBox supporter or volunteer.
GET CONNECTED: Join the conversation :
Did you know that there is a Rotary and ShelterBox Support Group on Facebook? It is a group that brings together Rotarians, ShelterBox Supporters, Staff and ShelterBox Response Teams to discuss all things ShelterBox and Rotary. It is a great place to see the latest operations updates, Rotary deployment information and video content to share with your Rotary Club. If you would like to join the group and conversation, please search for “Rotary and ShelterBox Support Group” on Facebook and ask to join the conversation!
A SHELTERBOX SPEAKER FOR YOUR ROTARY CLUB MEETING:
Please contact Tess Widdifield and she will arrange a Shelterbox Ambassador to speak to your Rotary Club.
Email: support@shelterboxcanada.org T: 647.352.1930 www.shelterboxcanada.org
ShelterBox Canada – 159 Jane Street, Office 2, Toronto, ON M6S 3Y8
SHELTERBOX OPERATIONS UPDATE:
JOIN US EVERY TUESDAY ON FACEBOOK FOR LIVE OPERATIONS UPDATES FROM SHELTERBOX HQ. JOIN US LIVE
VOLUNTEER WITH SHELTERBOX:
With the new Rotary year upon us there are so many ways to be the inspiration and make a difference in our communities and around the world. ShelterBox is looking for more dedicated individual across Canada to join our volunteer team. Whatever skills, knowledge or spare time you have, you can play a vital role in ensuring no family goes without shelter. Learn more about our various volunteer roles and how you can get involved in the 2019-20 Rotary year by visiting us at shelterboxcanada.org/volunteer
About ShelterBox Canada: Canada is a registered charity that has been a part of the global ShelterBox network since 2010. We have a team of over 120 volunteers across the country who share their passion with us and help us raise awareness and fundraise across the country. There are ten Canadian ShelterBox Response Team members who work tirelessly with the rest of the International Response Team to deliver aid to families who need it around the world. To learn more about our board and staff click here .
ShelterBox and Rotary are official project partners in international disaster relief. ShelterBox is a registered charity independent of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation. Since 2012, we have been neighbours, friends and community leaders. Their aim is to create positive, lasting change in communities at home and all over the world.project partners with Rotary International, a global community of 1.2 million. Rotary has supported ShelterBox from the start when a local club championed the simple idea to package up essential shelter items in our now-iconic ShelterBoxes. As ShelterBox grew, so did Rotary support, and we are now international project partners in disaster relief. This partnership has helped us to become who we are today. Our global network of ShelterBox affiliates, which provides all-round assistance, evolved from Rotary relationships.
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E: support@shelterboxcanada.org T: 647.352.1930 www.shelterboxcanada.org
ShelterBox Canada – 159 Jane Street, Office 2, Toronto, ON M6S 3Y8
Is your club interested in having a ShelterBox Presentation at an upcoming meeting? Let us know at support@shelterboxcanada.org