ShelterBox Presentation at 43th District 3300 Rotaract Conference by PDRR Leow Leik Hong.

1. Values
Mission: Our mission is to deliver humanitarian aid in the form of equipment and materials
that provide shelter warmth and dignity to people affected by natural or manmade
disasters.
Value for money for donors and accountability: We are dedicated to delivering a quality
aid package that represents value for money while being accountable to our supporters,
partners and every person who receives support from ShelterBox.
Keep it simple. Do it now: ShelterBox’s aid relief is as simple as it is effective that’s what
makes the charity one of the quickest and most practical disaster relief agencies in the
world.
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2. ShelterBox tents in Haiti, ShelterBox’s largest deployment. A total of 28,417
ShelterBoxes have been dispatched helping over a quarter of million people since a
7.0 magnitude earthquake struck in January 2010.
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4. ShelterBoxes are prepositioned in several locations throughout the world and there
is also a large stock of equipment in the warehouse at HQ in Helston where more
than 300 volunteers are on call to pack boxes at short notice.
Because of this ShelterBox are able to respond to an emergency within just 24
hours of a disaster happening.
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5. ShelterBox was founded by Tom Henderson, Rotarian and former Royal Navy search and rescue
diver. He saw that the aid response to most disasters was in the form of food and
medicine to help people survive the immediate aftermath. Little or no assistance was given in terms
of adequate shelter to help them through the first few days, weeks and months as they tried to
rebuild their lives. ShelterBox was launched to fill that need.
In 1999, Tom started researching the idea, sourcing equipment and negotiating to get the project
off the ground. His persistence paid off in April 2000 when ShelterBox was launched and the Rotary
Club of Helston-Lizard in Cornwall adopted it as its millennium project. Little did they know that it
would become a Global Rotary Club Project.
The first consignment of 143 boxes was sent to earthquake victims in the Indian state of Gujarat in
January 2001. Over the next three years the project matured and by the end of 2004 nearly 2,600
boxes had been dispatched, following 16 major disasters.
On 26th December 2004, news came in of the devastating Boxing Day tsunami and ShelterBox
faced its most significant challenge, one that would change its course forever. Donations and
volunteers poured in and in 2005 ShelterBox sent almost 10 times the number of boxes it had sent
in the previous three years. In just a few short months, ShelterBox had emerged as a major
presence in the field of international disaster relief.

6. The ShelterBox solution in disaster response is as simple as it is effective.
ShelterBox deliver the essentials a family needs to survive in the immediate
aftermath of a disaster. Each ShelterBox is tailored to a disaster but typically
contains a disaster relief tent for an extended family, blankets, water storage and
purification equipment, cooking utensils, a stove, a basic tool kit, a children’s
activity pack and other vital items.
The aid that ShelterBox provide is of the best quality from the best manufacturers
in the sector and ShelterBox regularly seek to improve on what is already a very
comprehensive set of emergency supplies.
For every donation of £590 we are able to send a ShelterBox. This covers the cost
of the contents, storage and delivery to families.
It may be six days, six weeks or even six months before your ShelterBox is
despatched but unlike other agencies, ShelterBox promises your donation will help
a family who need the aid most and you will be able to see where your donation
goes when you receive your unique box tracker number, with this you can log on to
shelterbox.org and find out exactly which area of the world your ShelterBox has
been delivered to.

7. The ShelterBox tent is designed by Vango and is constantly updated and modified in
response to feedback from the field.
Further information about the Tent
The disaster relief tent is included in each ShelterBox and are widely regarded as the best
disaster relief tents in the world. They are manufactured by Vango, who have worked with
ShelterBox since day one.
ShelterBox and Vango work closely together to make sure the tent is the best it can
possibly be and it has undergone a series of transformations since the first consignment
was sent. The latest version of the tent (below) came into circulation in 2009 and replaces
the green tent.
Many of the alterations made for this latest version, came as a direct result of feedback
from beneficiaries. In high temperatures extra ventilation increases the air flow, and the
reflective properties of the outer layer mean families can live more comfortably in
climates experienced in areas such as East Africa. In lower temperatures a foil, thermal
layer can be added to retain heat. This is incredibly useful on deployments to mountainous
regions such as northern Pakistan.
ShelterBox is committed to ensuring this is the best disaster relief tent available. Therefore
it has undergone rigorous testing by Vango. The tent, and its poles, are tested in wind and
rain tunnels with winds reaching 120mph. A video of the tent being tested can be seen on
the ShelterBox YouTube channel
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8. ShelterBoxes can provide other uses too – In 2008 when ShelterBox were
responding to conflict in Kenya, Baby Favour was born just hours after her mother
was given a ShelterBox. The tent provided some privacy for her to give birth in
dignity and the box itself made a perfect cot!
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9. As of September 2011 ShelterBox have responded to 191 emergencies worldwide.
NB: The map is correct as of July 2011.
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10. ShelterBox has a core team of dedicated staff but its volunteers are a hugely important part of its
whole operation. These are in three main areas:
1.ShelterBox Response Teams - ShelterBox have over 160 highly trained individuals around the
world who travel to the disaster area and make sure the boxes get to those who need them the
most by any means available
2.Warehouse Volunteers – An enthusiastic team of volunteers performs the essential task of
packing every ShelterBox that leaves our warehouse in the UK. ShelterBox is fortunate to have over
300 volunteers locally who are on hand to pack boxes and lend a hand in the warehouse
3.Volunteer speakers - ShelterBox also benefits from a large support base of volunteer speakers
around the UK who talk at local communities engagements, schools, scouts and other areas of
youth. They also represent ShelterBox at fairs, festivals and other community events

11. To connect its donors directly with the people they are helping, each box is given a unique number.
Carefully recording where each box goes, donors have the opportunity to track their box to its final
destination via the ShelterBox website.

12. To connect its donors directly with the people they are helping, each box is given a unique number.
Carefully recording where each box goes, donors have the opportunity to track their box to its final
destination via the ShelterBox website.

13. ShelterBox benefits from lots of partnerships
Other humanitarian aid agencies – In order to maximise the timeliness, effectiveness and
appropriateness of our response to humanitarian emergencies, we work with a range of
leading international relief agencies and non-governmental organisations. We work in line
with the United Nations Cluster approach which aims to strengthen the capacity for the
international humanitarian community to reach more beneficiaries, with more
comprehensive needs-based relief and protection, in a more effective and timely manner.
Our expertise in emergency shelter and the unique ShelterBox Solution enhances other
agencies’ aid programmes. We provide specialised knowledge and resources while they
can provide us with local knowledge and help us identify the most vulnerable families who
need our assistance.
Rotary – ShelterBox has a special relationship with Rotary and with clubs in more than 200
countries worldwide they give us vital information and support. Recognising this
worldwide support from the Rotary community, ShelterBox was designated as a Global
Rotary Club Project in 2009. The Rotary International logo has become an ever-present
symbol on all ShelterBoxes, tents, blankets and ancillary materials.
Scouts – ShelterBox has an official partnership with the Scouts Association in the UK and
our Young ShelterBox education programme includes an area especially for Scouts and
Scout Leaders with lots of great activities. These activities are all based on themes that our
disaster relief work provides. It also benefits from assistance in the field from Scouts who
have helped in lots of different disasters around the world, including Italy and Kenya
ShelterBox international affiliates – ShelterBox has a growing number of fundraising arms
around the world. These are teams who are developing their fundraising capacity and our
website shows an up to date list of these www.shelterbox.org

14. ShelterBox benefits from lots of partnerships
Other humanitarian aid agencies – In order to maximise the timeliness, effectiveness and
appropriateness of our response to humanitarian emergencies, we work with a range of
leading international relief agencies and non-governmental organisations. We work in line
with the United Nations Cluster approach which aims to strengthen the capacity for the
international humanitarian community to reach more beneficiaries, with more
comprehensive needs-based relief and protection, in a more effective and timely manner.
Our expertise in emergency shelter and the unique ShelterBox Solution enhances other
agencies’ aid programmes. We provide specialised knowledge and resources while they
can provide us with local knowledge and help us identify the most vulnerable families who
need our assistance.
Rotary – ShelterBox has a special relationship with Rotary and with clubs in more than 200
countries worldwide they give us vital information and support. Recognising this
worldwide support from the Rotary community, ShelterBox was designated as a Global
Rotary Club Project in 2009. The Rotary International logo has become an ever-present
symbol on all ShelterBoxes, tents, blankets and ancillary materials.
Scouts – ShelterBox has an official partnership with the Scouts Association in the UK and
our Young ShelterBox education programme includes an area especially for Scouts and
Scout Leaders with lots of great activities. These activities are all based on themes that our
disaster relief work provides. It also benefits from assistance in the field from Scouts who
have helped in lots of different disasters around the world, including Italy and Kenya
ShelterBox international affiliates – ShelterBox has a growing number of fundraising arms
around the world. These are teams who are developing their fundraising capacity and our
website shows an up to date list of these www.shelterbox.org

15. ShelterBox has grown rapidly since its inception in 2000, providing disaster relief all
over the world.
We are creative in finding effective solutions and are always improving the quality
of our work to make sure we deliver the best package possible for families affected
by disasters.
With the unique knowledge ShelterBox has gained on the ground and the networks
and infrastructure it has created, it is now in a strong position to significantly
increase the number of families it can help.
The objective is to provide emergency shelter for 50,000 families every year.
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