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ShelterBox program will provide relief in Nepal
By Gerry Warner
When the ground shook under Nepal and buildings crumbled into rubble, killing thousands, one thought immediately seared itself across my brain — now is the time for “the box that saves lives.”
That life saver, of course, is ShelterBox, the famous green, disaster aid boxes that are sent all over the world whenever a major natural disaster strikes be it an earthquake, hurricane, flood or any other manifestation of nature’s wrath.
As a ShelterBox Ambassador, volunteers who raise money for the program in partnership with Rotary, I’d just done a ShelterBox presentation at T.M. Roberts Elementary School less than a week before the earth was rent asunder in Nepal and thousands killed or injured in the rugged Himalayan country often called the roof of the world. This drove home to me the dire need to move from talk to action to prevent the death toll from climbing beyond the 7,000 already confirmed dead.
But it won’t be an easy task.
However, if any aid agency or NGO is up to the Herculean task, ShelterBox is probably it. Founded in 2000 by the English Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, ShelterBox quickly spread around the world, responding to more than 200 disasters in 90 countries providing aid to more than a million people in such horrific disasters as the 2004 Asian tsunami in 2004, the devastating Haitian earthquake in 2010 and man-made disasters such as wars in the Middle East.
The durable green boxes contain a huge, water-proof, free-standing tent that can sleep up to 10 as well as equipment disaster victims can use to support themselves once the tent is set up, including a folding, stove, pots, pans, water purification equipment, tool kit, shovel, mosquito net, fleece blankets, sleeping mats and even a children’s activity kit.
ShelterBox’s fill a gap in relief aid by supplying safe and secure shelter — a roof over the heads of disaster victims — while they wait for other agencies to provide food, medicine and other critical forms of relief.
Interviewed on CBC Radio last week, Invermere climber Pat Morrow, the second Canadian to climb Mount Everest, said the critical need now is shelter with pre-monsoon rains and snow battering the devastated country. “Right now, it’s short term help that’s going to make the difference.”
ShelterBox Operations Coordinator Phil Duloy, who is on the ground in Kathmandu, said the need is stunning. “Clearly this is going to be a major operation.” Beckie Menard, a ShelterBox volunteer on the scene said, “There’s a huge, huge need in Nepal. We’re going to be here for months and months.”
The 7.8 magnitude quake also caught climbers on Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world about 150 km northeast of Kathmandu. Many died from avalanches triggered by the quake with British climber Daniel Mazur tweeting, “A massive earthquake just hit Everest base camp. Please pray for everyone.”
Several people from Cranbrook and other parts of the East Kootenay were stranded in Nepal by the quake and some were injured. But all appear to be safe and some have already returned home.
So is there anything any of us can do to help? Allow me to be personal. I trekked into Everest from Kathmandu in 2011 and I’ve never before met people as strong, resilient and friendly as the Nepalese. This is especially true for the Sherpas, who pound-for-pound have got to be the toughest people on earth. Their country is poor but they’re strong in the things that count like grit, determination and generosity. A little bit of generosity towards them now from us will pay immense dividends in helping them to rebuild in the future. But they need a roof over their heads before they can begin such a gargantuan task.
So as a Rotary ShelterBox Ambassador, I sincerely ask if you would consider making a financial donation to the ShelterBox program. It costs $1,200 to send a fully-equipped ShelterBox anywhere in the world, but any donation will help. Donations of $20 or more will trigger an automatic tax receipt and donations can be made by cash, cheque or credit card.
I have the official ShelterBox donation forms and you can reach me at: (250) 489-3271 or email me at: [email protected]
If you donate, it just may be the nicest thing you do this year. Thanks to eKNOW for helping.
Lead image: Kindergarten students at T.M. Roberts Elementary School learned all about the ShelterBox program recently, just a few days before ShelterBoxes started to be flown into earthquake-devastated Kathmandu. Image courtesy Gerry Warner
