About us
We provide emergency shelter to people who have lost their home to disaster, enabling them to rebuild their lives.
A man stands in floodwater after Cyclone Remal struck Bangladesh. Credit: Uttaran
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In May 2024, Cyclone Remal made landfall in Bangladesh. It brought devastating winds and intense flooding that forced thousands of people from their homes.
ShelterBox partnered with local aid organization, Uttaran, to provide shelter to vulnerable families. We focused on families whose homes were completely destroyed. The aid we provided helped people build better-quality shelters than those lost in the cyclone.
To support with rebuilding, we also provided cash assistance. This helped families to transport aid items and hire local tradespeople to build their shelters.
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Homes have been badly damaged and destroyed in Bangladesh. Credit: Uttaran
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What happened in Bangladesh?
Cyclone Remal was the most devastating storm to hit Bangladesh for some years. With torrential rains and 75mph winds, it wreaked havoc on low-lying coastal communities.
This was followed by extreme flooding, further affecting millions of people.
The storm destroyed and severely damaged around 170,000 homes. Flood defences were breached by tidal surges, and these defences were so damaged that low-lying communities have little to no defence against future coastal floods.
As well as destroying homes, the Cyclone devastated livestock and livelihoods. Fields were submerged and fishing farms destroyed.
How did ShelterBox support people?
Our response in Bangladesh was critical. We wanted to ensure people in these communities could shelter from the elements.
We worked in partnership with a local aid organisation called Uttaran. They have experience working in cyclone-prone areas of southwestern Bangladesh. Together with local communities, we distributed aid to people who needed it most in Paikgacha, Dacope, and Saronkhola.
Our focus was on helping people build emergency shelters. Our aid included corrugated iron sheeting, timber, bamboo, rope, and fixings. We focused on high-quality shelter materials to ensure people’s living conditions were better than they were before the cyclone hit.
There was also a small amount of cash distributed, so that people could hire local tradespeople to help them build homes.
Aid distributions are now complete. Our partner, Uttaran, followed up by delivering training on how the aid items can be used as effectively as possible, whilst also supporting people rebuilding their shelters. This will help people repair their homes to withstand future extreme weather. The images below were taken during this rebuilding and training process.
We are committed to rebuilding lives and restoring hope after disasters like Cyclone Remal. Please support our work today.
The rebuilding and training process after Cyclone Remal
The images below were taken during the rebuilding and training process.
Karima was one of the refugees from Rohingya we supported in Bangladesh
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Has ShelterBox responded in Bangladesh before?
ShelterBox previously supported people after flooding in Bangladesh in 2017 and 2019. In 2007, we responded to Cyclone Sidr.
We also responded to the Rohingya crisis in 2017 with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Around 688,000 Rohingya refugees fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar in 2017 to escape violence and persecution. The people who fled Myanmar were extremely vulnerable, having already experienced severe trauma. We supported over 4,000 families in total.
As extreme weather gets worse, we are changing how we prepare for disasters. In the last 12 months, we have been preparing for potential disasters in Bangladesh. This work has given us a good foundation for our latest response.
Rebuilding homes in Bangladesh after the flooding.
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How can I support people in Bangladesh?
You can help us bring hope and relief to those who need it most. Every donation counts – it’s not just about giving; it’s about restoring dignity, safety, and hope to those who have lost everything.
You can also stay informed and share on social media to raise awareness about the crisis people are facing in Bangladesh.
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