Shelterbox, a grassroots disaster relief organization set up by Rotary members in the UK, was among the first charities to reach the affected area of cyclone ravaged Myanmar, as other agencies continue to struggle to gain access.
More than 1,000 ShelterBoxes were delivered to Yangon airport in cyclone ravaged Myanmar on Friday 16th May, thanks to the generous donations from Rotary members.
ShelterBox, the grassroots disaster relief organization set up by UK Rotary members, chartered the DC 10 aid flight from East Midlands Airport in Birmingham on Wednesday 14th May, and packed it with 1,050 boxes destined to help thousands of cyclone survivors.
A team of four specially trained volunteers were given visas and allowed to enter Yangon just five days after the cyclone hit, making them the first UK based relief team to have landed inMyanmar. The team immediately organised the distribution of 644 boxes to cyclone victims which were transported by local authorities to the Delta region using trucks and boats and tents were set up with the help of local fire services, trained by the ShelterBox response team in Yangon.
The new shipment of 1,050 boxes is now on its way to survivors.Two US ShelterBox Response Team members have also now joined the original UK team.
UK ShelterBox Response Team Leader Ian Neal, on the ground in the capital city Yangon, said: "All teams in Yangon have now been trained on the ShelterBox contents and setting up of tents. We plan to distribute 500 boxes plus 50 blue boxes to Ngaputaw in the South West Delta region, 250 boxes to Labutta Delta, and 250 to Bogale. The boxes will be transported straight off the aircraft onto trucks and then into affected areas with the local staff infield."
Shelterbox founder and Rotary club member Tom Henderson fromCornwall says: "Our team of volunteers are working incooperation with local groups in Myanmar to line up transportationand determine where the shelters will do the most good amid themassive devastation.
"We have received tremendous support from Rotarians andwould like to extend our thanks. Without the support of our Rotaryfriends we would not be able to carry out this essentialwork."
Up to 80,000 people are estimated to have died in the cycloneand more than 55,000 people are still missing, and the destructionof entire communities has left tens of thousands of peoplehomeless.
Each ShelterBox containers each provide a tent, mosquito nets,blankets, a multi-fuelled stove, a water purification kit, toolsand other necessities to help a family of 10 survive for sixmonths. Some containers carried two 10-person tents, doubling theshelter capacity.
ShelterBox started in 2001 as a modest project by the RotaryClub of Helston-Lizard, Cornwall, and quickly garnered supportamong Rotary clubs worldwide. To date Shelterbox has raised£15.5 million ($29 million) and delivered aid to 40 countriesin response to more than 70 disasters. Each Shelterbox containercosts an estimated £490 to sponsor, and Rotary clubs providemore than half of the charity’s funding. Visit www.shelterbox.org for moreinformation.
21/05/08
