Helping Communities Recover with Cash Assistance

At ShelterBox, we constantly seek to learn and develop. We analyse how we can do even more to help communities after disasters. We push ourselves to deliver greater impact with every penny donated.

Adding cash to the mix of support we can provide, like training and essential shelter and household items, gives us more options to help communities recover depending on their situation.

Where it is appropriate, cash assistance empowers people affected by disaster by giving them some control over their own recovery. This helps restore dignity and self-esteem.

Shelter materials such as tents, tarpaulins and tools are at the heart of our disaster responses. But when it’s clear providing cash will have an even bigger impact on people’s lives, that’s what we’ll do.

Philippines – Linjun’s story

Linjun is one of the survivors of Typhoon Rai which struck the Philippines in December 2021. The storm rampaged through his municipality. His home was completely destroyed. After the disaster Linjun spent two months living in an evacuation centre.

In February 2022 Linjun received shelter materials through ShelterBox working with Humanity and Inclusion. This included corrugated iron with which he could rebuild his home. This was accompanied by a small cash contribution. Linjun credits this with being able to move to his new home within a week of the distribution because he was able to direct his focus on building his house.

“The money that they gave us, I used it immediately to buy local plywood and additional nails. The little extra that I was able to save, I used it to buy my meals after working for my own house.”

Learn more about our work in the Philippines after Super Typhoon Rai here.

Haiti – Franchette’s story

In August 2021 a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti. From the courtyard outside with her mother and five month old daughter, Franchette watched as her home collapsed.

For the next few days Franchette and her family slept under trees. Once they received a ShelterBox kit they were able to use the tools and tarpaulin to build a temporary shelter, and received household items. Alongside this, Franchette also received cash assistance.

Receiving cash, as well as the kit, was incredibly helpful to Franchette. By using the ShelterBox kit, Franchette was able to cover the family’s most basic needs. This meant that she didn’t have to use the cash to buy such items. Instead she was able to use it as an investment that will help improve their futures. Franchette purchased a goat with the hope that she will reap the rewards from its produce over time.

Find out more about our response in Haiti here.

Pakistan – Ghulam’s story

Ghulam and her family lost her home, possessions and livestock when floods hit her village in Pakistan. For Ghulam, cash assistance from ShelterBox enabled her to help look after her family and create a livelihood.

“We needed food to eat for our family, along with that clothes to wear in the extreme winters. We took a loan from someone and repaid it with the cash grant. I got a hand pump installed in my home for my daughters as they had to walk miles alone to drink water which was unsafe.”

“We also bought goats, as we lost all of them in the floods. We will use the goats we have now to start a business and meet our needs.”

Learn more about our work in Pakistan.

Ukraine – Valentina’s story

Like many others, Valentina fled from the conflict in Ukraine into Moldova. In April 2022, she received ShelterBox cash assistance to help with the financial burden of being displaced. When asked what she would spend it on, Valentina said,

“Medicine. I live only due to the medicine, it’s the same with my husband. Medicine and food.

“We need to eat something as well. Medicine and food, that’s it, we don’t need anything else. We have shoes and clothes. Our wardrobe is full of clothes at home.”

Learn more about our response to the Ukraine crisis here.