1. ShelterBox Australia
eNewsletter December 2012
Dear Rotary President
Welcome our monthly eNewsletter for Shelterbox Australia.
As 2012 draws to an end, it's time time to look back and reflect on very busy year, with 29 deployments
worldwide. We have responded to floods, cyclones, earthquakes, hurricanes and tropical storms, helped
refugees fleeing conflict and, in the case of The Congo, even families affected by an industrial accident.
In March we signed an historic agreement with Rotary International, becoming the first and only Project
Partner, further strengthening our ties with Rotary around the world.
We start 2013 better prepared than ever before to respond wherever disaster strikes. With extreme
weather events becoming more and more common, no doubt it will be another busy year. Thanks to
people like you we know that thousands of families will receive the gift of Shelter, Warmth & Dignity in
their hour of greatest need.
Below is a review of 2012's deployments. Click on the country name for more details.
I wish you all a happy and safe New Year and thank you for your continued support.
Mike
Mike Greenslade SRT
Communications Officer
ShelterBox Australia
NB. You are receiving this newsletter it is because you have either supported us in the past or signed up for it via the website or at
an event. Should you not wish to receive future newsletters you can unsucscribe at the bottom of the page. Another great way of
keeping up todate with what's happeining with ShelterBox Australia is via our blog, at: http://shelterboxaustralia.wordpress.com
Deployments 2012
Help us to be prepared to respond quickly when disaster
strikes .......

2. January - BRAZIL - Floods
For the third time in two years, Brazilian scouts on hand to help ShelterBox deliver aid to displaced
people in need of shelter, following severe flash floods and landslides in Rio de Janeiro State. 53 boxes
were distributed from pre-positioned stock.
February - MADAGASCAR - Cyclone
- PHILIPPINES - Earthquake
A category four cyclone hit the eastern shores of Madagascar in the early hours of the morning on 14
February, bringing sustained strong winds of around 231 kilometres per hour and torrential rains. Local
scouts were again on hand to assist and a MOU was signed with National Bureau of Risk and Disaster
Management. 206 boxes were disributed. On 6 February the Filipino island of Visaya was struck by a
6.9-magnitude earthquake. Rotary were were instrumental in the success of the deployment, with 42
boxes distributed from pre-positioned stock.
March - PERU - Landslides
- CONGO - Industrial Accident
Heavy rains and landslides have caused extensive damage in the mountainous region of Cuzco, in
south-eastern Peru, home to the tourist destination of Machu Picchu. Several Response Teams were
deployed over the next couple of months, delivering boxes across a wide area, over difficult terrain. 409
boxes were disributed. In Brazzaville, the capital of The Republic of the Congo, an arms depot
exploded on 8th March rocking the riverside city. It ripped apart the nearby neighbourhood Mpila, killing
over 300 people and injuring 3,500 others. Houses near the disaster have been flattened displacing a
further 14,000. Once again, multiple teams worked over several weeks to deliver 754 tents and 200
ShelterBoxes
April - FIJI - Floods
- PERU - Floods
A total of 16 ShelterBoxes were distributed to flood-hit areas in Fiji's largest island of Viti Levu. More
ShelterBoxes were stored as prepositioned stock to enable a quick response to any disaster there in the
future, proving helpful later in the year. Continous heavy rain caused widespread flooding in the region of

3. Loreto, located in the heart of the Peruvian rainforest. Local Rotarians assited the SRTs in country and
the First Lady of Peru thanked ShelterBox for supporting the Peruvian people at one of their greatest
times of need. 141 boxes were distributed
May - ITALY - Earthquake
On Sunday 20th May, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck around 35 km north of the city of Bologna in
northern Italy. SRT members from the UK drove to Modena to work with volunteers from our Italian
affiliate to distribute aid. A total of 79 boxes were sent.
June - SOUTH SUDAN - Conflict
Following conflict in the world's newst country, an SRT travelled to South Sudan to assess shelter
needs. After discussions with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Refugee
Agency (UNHCR) and Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED), the decision was
made to preposition the emergency shelter and store the 1,152 disaster relief tents in Juba to be used
as contingency stocks in the future
July - UGANDA - Mudslides
- RUSSIA - Floods
- NORTH KOREA - Floods & Landslides
Heavy rains resulted in a large landslide on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Bududa, eastern Uganda at
the end of June, sweeping away three villages and leaving hundreds of families homeless. A ShelterBox
Response Team (SRT) worked with the Ugandan Red Cross Society (URCS) along with the local
community and authorities to make a difference to the families in need. 189 boxes were
distributed. Torrential rains caused flash floods to sweep across southern Russia, forcing many families
to leave their homes and take refuge in trees or on rooftops. Australian SRT, Andrew Clouting led a
Response team that worked with the Rotary Club of Krasnodar to distribute 180 boxes. ShelterBox
International sent ShelterBox tents to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to help families
displaced by flooding and landslides. 160 boxes sent.
August - LEBANON - Conflict
- MALI - Conflict/Food Insecurity

4. What started out as a peaceful protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in the southern
Province of Deraa in March 2011 has degenerated into a regional interethnic civil war. An SRT travelled
to Lebanon in August to explore a response with various agencies and contacts including the Lebanese
Ministry for Social Affairs. ShelterBox continues to monitor the situation in Lebanon. ShelterBox sent 497
disaster relief tents to bring shelter families from Mali, suffering from food insecurity, conflict and
political instability that forced countless civilians to flee their homes.
September - PHILIPPINES - Tropical Storms
- NIGER - Floods
The Philippines capital, Manila and the surrounding area experienced its worst floods since 2009 due to
unusually heavy monsoon rainfall triggered by Tropical Storm Haikui. The situation was exacerbated
by Tropical Storm Kai-Tak one week later. Australian SRT, Peter Pearce, joined with Filipino
SRT, Sonny Ongkiko to work with The Philippines Navy, Emergency Medical Services, local Rotary
Clubs and volunteers from the Asian College of Science and Technology to help displaced families. 473
boxes were distributed. Extensive flooding in Niger caused significant damage and displacement across
all of the African country's eight regions, including the largest of Tillabery, Dosso and Niamey. SRTs
worked throughout September and October to distribute 257 boxes.
October - PAKISTAN - Floods
- IRAQ KURDISTAN - Conflict
Torrential monsoon rains in Pakistan left tens of thousands of people homeless in the provinces of
Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh. ShelterBox distributed emergency shelter using pre-positioned stocks in
Islamabad to families affected in these provinces through the National Rural Support Programme
(NRSP). 377 boxes were distributed. The continuing crisis in Syria led to refugees fleeing to
neighbouring Iraq Kurdistan. ShelterBox worked with the Barzani Foundation to distribute 500
winterised boxes in the Domiz Refugee camp.
November - NIGERIA - Floods
- USA/CUBA/HAITI - Hurricane Sandy
- GUATEMALA - Earthquake
- UGANDA - Floods
Over a million people were displaced in Nigeria, where the worst flooding in 50 years caused rivers to
swell and forced families to flee their homes. Australian SRT, MIke Greenslade led the first team into
the country. Working closely with the State Government of Kogi subsequent teams have distributed over
800 boxes. Team 4 will head to Nigeria in the New Year to continue disribution. Meanwhile, Hurricane
Sandy tore through the Caribbean and the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. SRTs responded in the US
and distributed 5900 blankets, 4775 Children’s activity packs (2775 include a school backpack),
2800 knit hats, 1000 knit gloves, 1699 scarves. In Cuba, an SRT worked with the government and in-
country partners to enable a rapid response for possible future disasters. In Guatemala, 50 boxes were
distributed to families who lost their home to an earthquake in the San Marcos region along with 88

5. standard disaster relief tents and 410 midi tents. In Uganda, 110 boxes were distributed to flood
victims.
December - PHILIPPINES - Typhoon Bopha
- FIJI - Cyclone Evan
Typhoon Bopha struck northern Palawan with winds of 120 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 150
kilometres per hour. Coastal, farming and mining regions were affected by the typhoon with Compostela
Valley province, in eastern Mindanao, the worst hit. SRTs from the Philippines and the US are working to
distribute to those affected. In Fiji, SRTs from New Zealand were on the ground soon after Cyclone Evan
struck the popular holiday destination. ShelterBox has stock pre-positioned in both countries.
Have you held a sucessful fundraising event or are you planning one? Please send me the details
for inclusion in the newsletter and promotion on the Blog at:
mike.greenslade@shelterbox.org.au
Help us to be prepared to respond quickly when disaster
strikes .......
ShelterBox Austalia, PO Box 354, Parramatta, NSW, 2124 Tel: 1300 996 038
W | www.shelterboxaustralia.org.au B | www.shelterboxaustralia.wordpress.com
ABN: 21 143 129 220