Aid items
Discover more about the aid items that help people rebuild their lives after disaster
ShelterBox started supporting people after disaster 25 years ago.
At that time, we were all about our iconic green ShelterBoxes. For a long time, we only shipped our aid items inside those boxes.
Now, we’ve gone beyond the box – and we no longer use them. Watch the video to find out why.
Why do we no longer use the box?
There are lots of reasons why we’ve gone beyond the box.
Some of the aid items no longer fit in the boxes. Like our tents. These are now bigger, so people have more space and privacy.
Where possible, we will procure items locally. This is better for the environment as it cuts our carbon footprint. It can also be good for the local economy.
Using pallets to ship items, instead of packing boxes, means faster delivery times and customs checks. So we can reach people as quickly as possible.
Sending items without using boxes also makes it easier to store them in the warehouses we use, close to the areas where many disasters happen.
Not boxing ourselves in
We love our ShelterBoxes. We know our supporters do too.
But, while the box will still be right there in our name, we now work in a way that means more people can have access to emergency shelter options after disaster.
We still offer tents and shelter kits, but now we have more robust emergency shelters with things like concrete bases to prevent flooding, and corrugated iron roofs.
Our teams work with affected communities to understand what people need the most, and we tailor our support to meet those needs.
We are expanding and developing our offer, being flexible and learning from the people we support.
The right support at the right time
Recently we have included…
- concrete bases in places that repeatedly flood like Pakistan and Syria
- shelters with iron frames and fire-resistant insulation in Yemen
- wooden frame Sahelian tents to withstand local climates in Burkina Faso
- storm strapping to make timber shelters more robust in the Philippines
- cash alongside our shelter support in Cameroon, the Philippes, Moldova and Pakistan
- thermal clothes to help ward off the bitter winter cold in Syria