Wednesday 24 October 2012
Canadians Open their Hearts to Families in Niger
Jama and her children, in the Kollo district of Niger were, happy recipients of a ShelterBox tent after losing their home due to flooding.
The generous spirit of Canadians has enabled ShelterBox Canada to provide shelter to displaced families in Niger following the worst flooding in a century. The Sahel region in West Africa has been affected by multiple crises this year, including drought, food insecurity, and Malian refugees fleeing conflict in their home country. In Niger, these issues were compounded when heavy rains caused widespread flooding.
Responding to an urgent need for humanitarian relief, Canadians opened their hearts and generously donated over $65,000 to ShelterBox Canada’s Sahel Appeal. The majority of these donations will be matched by a Government of Canada contribution to the CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) Sahel Crisis Matching Fund, resulting in more than $115,000 in aid for the region.
Inter-agency collaboration
It has been as a result of collaborative working relationships that the ShelterBox Response Team has been able to help families find shelter in disaster relief tents. ShelterBox has been working to bring aid to needy families in Niger since August, coordinating with other humanitarian actors like the Women and Health Alliance (WAHA) and the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED). ShelterBox has also been working closely with local partners, including government organizations and the Niger Fire Service.
Ongoing efforts in Niger
A ShelterBox Response Team is currently in the Niger capital of Niamey, where close to 500 ShelterBoxes are being distributed and erected at the Abadan Goungou camp. Extreme weather conditions in Niger mean that the need for shelter is critical. In addition to wind and rains, ShelterBox Response Team volunteers have reported instances of children badly burned by the harsh sun. Read more
ShelterBox tents are specially designed to withstand extreme temperatures, intense UV light, high winds, and heavy rain. The tents are also portable, meaning families can relocate as necessary as the crisis continues. ShelterBox Canada thanks all volunteers and donors that supported the appeal, and the Government of Canada for providing further support to the region.
