2023 Impact: ShelterBox USA

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Shamsa was in a displacement camp in Northern Syria when the earthquakes struck. She still remembers the terror of that night.

“When the earthquake occurred, tents and mud fell on us. Mud piled up on us and we then stood on the ground with rain falling on us.“

One of Shamsa’s biggest fears after the earthquake was the approaching winter, and how to keep her family safe and warm. “Winter is approaching, and our situation is very difficult, with cold, mud, and water entering our tents.“

ShelterBox partnered with Bahar Organisation to provide aid to families affected by the earthquakes. Shamsa received a durable tent with a cement floor and cash assistance.

Thanks to this support, Shamsa had items she desperately needed to survive the winter. “With the cash we paid off our debts, and with the rest we bought food. They gave us tents with cement floors, which are better than dirt.“

Mohammed was away from his village in the Al Haouz region of Morocco’s Atlas Mountains when the earthquake struck. He still remembers the terror of that night and the frantic journey home.

“I heard the voice (the sound of the earthquake), it was getting stronger; I thought an airplane was going to fall down; I changed my place and walked 4 meters, then I felt the ground shaking, like waves, after a while it turned to vibrations.“

One of Mohammed’s biggest fears after the earthquake was for his family and community. “I just wanted to see my family. I took my motorcycle to come back here… I got a phone call at 3 am from my daughter, telling me that my second daughter and my father are saved, but my wife and my son are still under the ground.“

ShelterBox provided tents, solar lights, kitchen sets, and thermal blankets to Mohammed’s village to assist in their long recovery after the earthquake.

Thanks to this support, Mohammed and his community had essential items they desperately needed to survive. “The tents are 100% helpful because without them we have no shelter, we are already without a house and the tents that we already have are not good enough to protect us from the snow and rain… Honestly, the ShelterBox tents are good and comfortable, the whole community likes them. The tents are like home for people that have their family and children next to them.“

Halyna was at home in her village in Ukraine when the conflict began. She still remembers the terror of that day.

“There were eleven helicopters flying, very big ones. And I’m screaming – ‘They’re going to hit the roof’. Because they were flying very low. I even blessed them, thinking they were Ukrainians. And my neighbour shouts: ‘Aunt Halyna, it’s the Belarusians flying.’“

One of Halyna’s biggest fears after being displaced was returning to a home that was no longer habitable. “I wanted to go home, but there was nowhere to go because there were no windows, doors or radiators.“

ShelterBox provided winter aid packages to families affected by the conflict in Ukraine. Halyna received a stove and wood to burn.

Thanks to this support, Halyna had essential items she desperately needed to survive the harsh Ukrainian winter. “Very much! Thank you so much! We have no money to fix the boiler, this summer is like salvation. I am very pleased that I received such help. I am happy that I have warmth in my home.“

Samira was at home alone in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco when the earthquake struck. She still remembers the terror of that night.

“I was thinking about death, I was crying, and I was thinking about my children. I really think about this night, and what happened.”

One of Samira’s biggest fears after the earthquake was the approaching winter, and how to keep warm. “Everyone is just outside; we do not have any houses to keep warm in. It is very cold, especially at night. After the earthquake everything has changed, before everyone had homes to keep warm in, now we do not have that.”

ShelterBox provided emergency shelter and other essential items to over 4,000 after the earthquake, despite difficult access to the mountains. Samira received a tent, solar lights, a kitchen set, and warm blankets.

Thanks to your support, Samira had items she desperately needed to survive the winter. “The ShelterBox tent will help a lot. For our kitchen, the cooking sets will be very helpful. We need the solar lights because what we have now is not enough, and we need the blankets to keep warm.”

Ebrahim and his family were forced to move twice due to the conflict in Yemen. Once a farmer, Ebrahim now has an eye injury and struggles to find work. He shared how his family felt being forced from their home.

“We felt tired, sad that we left behind everything we owned, all our memories, as well as being separated from family and relatives.”

Ebrahim now lives in Ma’rib in Yemen. His family previously lived there in a UN Tent. However, tents can quickly deteriorate in Yemen’s harsh climate. This year Ebrahim received an iron net shelter. These far more durable shelters have an iron net frame, constructed with a concrete base. They have a layer of fireproof insulation and are covered by corrugated metal.

Ebrahim shared how much the shelter meant to him and his family. “Everything is beautiful in it. In the previous shelter, if the rain came, we would feel anxious and uncomfortable because the rainwater would enter the shelter. Now, we enjoy the sound of rain as it hits the iron net without worrying about water entering.”

Through the work of ShelterBox and our partner BCHR, despite his challenges, Ebrahim now feels that he is living in a home. Your support has given him a safe place for his children to sleep at night.

Nurta previously farmed crops to sell. However, after years of drought in Somalia, she and her family were evicted. They then faced a long journey to Baidoa to find aid and shelter.

“Our journey was quite challenging; we had been struggling for three months [before arriving here]. As we were traveling, we did not have much food and water and when we arrived, some of my children were admitted to the hospitals because of malnutrition.”

Nurta and her family now live in a new shelter, which they received along with kitchen utensils and other essentials. Nurta has shared what the help means to her and her family.

“Now, we are fortunate to live in a spacious house, which is a significant improvement over the previous one. Before moving here, we felt uncertain about our future, and the fear of being forced to move again loomed over us. This new shelter provides us with stability, as we have been guaranteed to remain here for at least four years.”

Nurta now looks forward to a brighter future, where her children receive an education. She also wishes to learn to sew and dye fabric to earn a living and contribute to camp life. Her aspirations for stability, education, and self-sufficiency underscore the strength of people who have been left without shelter after disaster, all over the world.

Building on the solid foundations of the last 22 years, in 2022 we launched our new five-year strategy that will see ShelterBox become even more focused on the impact emergency shelter can have for people after disaster and conflict.

We will do this in partnership with others for maximum reach, and with the good of everyone in mind, as we seek to do no harm to people or our planet.

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