Rotary International District 1240
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***PRESS RELEASE***
The following Press Release has be produced so that you can use and adaptto suit your own situation
Date: 6th December 2006
Contact: Huw Thomas, Publicity Officer
01326 569782 publicity@shelterbox.org
Local aid for families in Africa
Funds raised by local Rotarians are helping supply shelter and other emergency supplies for families displaced by severe flooding in East Africa.
The disaster relief charity ShelterBox is working with UNICEF on a long term programme to help some of the hundreds of thousands of people – many of them women and children – displaced by fighting in Somalia.
Now, in addition to the problems caused by years of conflict, the country has been hit by some of the worst floods in a decade, leaving many villages underwater and huge areas of farmland swamped.
Over the past couple of months, ShelterBox has sent enough tents, blankets and other supplies to help more than 6,000 people to Somalia – including aid paid for by the Rotary Clubs of 1240
ShelterBox founder and general manager Tom Henderson said: “ShelterBox responds to disasters all around the world. Over the past six years we’ve operated in 31 countries and helped around 450,000 people.
“The charity was set up by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in Cornwall and around half our income is raised by local Rotary clubs. We rely on their support and the fundraising events they organise really are life-savers – without them we could not operate on the scale that we do and without them we could not send aid to all these people around the world who desperately need our help.”
In addition to Somalia, ShelterBox is also currently sending aid to the Philippines, where a recent typhoon has caused devastating mudslides. For more information about the charity visit www.shelterbox.org or call 01326 569782.
ENDS
Editors’ notes:
Pictures:
High res pictures of ShelterBox tents deployed are available – email: publicity@shelterbox.org
Shelterbox:
The ‘ShelterBoxes’ sent by the charity generally contain a 10-person tent, blankets, water purification and cooking equipment, basic tools and a multi-fuel stove. Every box is individually numbered and can be tracked by donors.
To date, ShelterBox has provided shelter for approaching 450,000-plus people in more than 30 locations worldwide – including around 212,000 people in Southeast Asia following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, around 138,000 people in Pakistan (Kashmir earthquake) and 38,000 people in Africa. Other recent deployments include East Timor and Papua New Guinea.
ShelterBox’s mission is: “To provide on a world-wide basis humanitarian relief and aid in the form of material and equipment that provides shelter, warmth and comfort to people displaced by natural and other disasters.”
The ShelterBox Trust is a UK registered charity organised and administered by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard. By working through local Rotary clubs in the countries where disasters have occurred, ShelterBox is often able to get aid where it is needed faster than any other organisation.
Each box costs £490 – including the cost of all materials, packing, storage, transport worldwide and distribution to the needy. Best value is achieved by working closely with leading UK suppliers, all items being obtained at below trade price. Assuming six month’s use, this equates to shelter and warmth for less than 30 pence per person per day.
The majority (approximately 52%) of funding comes from public donations. The remaining money is raised by Rotary Clubs worldwide. At present, around 83% of total income is from the UK, 12% from the USA, 4% from Australia and 1% from Canada.