Liz Odell from ShelterBox came and spoke to the club at our April dinner meeting. The club voted to sponsor a shelter Box at a cost of just over £500.00. ShelterBox gives you the facility of tracking your box so that you can see where in the world it helps in any given emergency
The Box Number that SI Cirencester and District donated to was: UK0067066 and it has been used in Nigeria to assist those affected by flooding.
Here is a brief background on the Nigerian flooding:
A ShelterBox Response Team (SRT) is delivering aid following devastating flooding which has consumed large swathes of Nigeria.
Over a million people have been displaced in the African country where the worst flooding in 50 years has caused rivers to swell and forced families to flee their homes.
The River Niger and its tributaries are amongst those now overflowing as a result of the flash flooding. The River Niger is the principal river in West Africa and the third longest in the continent. Nigeria receives heavy tropical rains each year between May and September but not usually on this scale.
The rising flood water has led to the spread of infectious diseases. Furthermore many dangerous animals, such as crocodiles, snakes and hippos, are now making their way into family homes.
As well as damaging family homes, the flood waters have devastated crop fields, industrial areas and fisheries, prompting concerns over the economic future of the affected districts. The SRT arrived in Nigeria on 28 October and immediately began assessing the extent of the flooding.
SRT volunteer Mike Greenslade (AU) reported: ‘The need is simply huge. Our contacts here estimate that there are more than 200,000 people affected by the flooding in the Idah district alone.
‘There are currently 21 schools across the district being used to provide shelter for people who have had to leave their homes. However, this is only a temporary solution and does not provide a comfortable home for the families affected by this disaster.’
The SRT will be working with key partners, including the local Rotary network, to deliver vital shelter and lifesaving supplies to the families affected by the flooding.