ShelterHer: A Way to Protect Displaced Women

By Alex Goodale, Co-President of the Needham High School Chapter of ShelterBox

Each year, thousands of people are left without a home due to conflict and natural disasters. Every minute, 20 more people are displaced. ShelterBox is a global organization made up of people who believe in shelter as a human right – and ShelterBox works to provide shelter kits to communities affected by disaster and conflict. To ensure that no family goes without shelter, they give immediate aid, including tents, blankets, and cooking supplies, so that families can start rebuilding their homes and lives for the future. It can be the simplest item that provides and a sense of relief and safety, particularly for women. 75% of displaced people are women and children, and displaced women are left more vulnerable than ever. Women and children are 14 times more likely to die during a disaster than men. Displaced women experience higher death rates, increased violence based on gender, and lack of education. However, these women play a major role when it comes to recovering from a crisis. They are vital in the survival and resilience of families and communities. Despite being disproportionately affected by disasters, women exhibit incredible strength. One of the thousands of examples of these strengths in Esther. In 2014, at 17 years old, Esther fled her village in Nigeria with nothing but her clothes on her back when Boko Haram militia attacked her village. They raped and murdered her mother. They murdered her father and three elder brothers and kidnapped her youngest brother. Esther survived the devastating violence and made it to safety. She is one of 61,000 refugees living in ShelterBox’s Minawao refugee camp. She is now married, a mother of two, and owns her own business as a seamstress. Esther is no longer simply surviving; she’s living and looking forward to a brighter future. Another incredible strong woman is Yolonda. After the horror of the huayno, a flood of mud and rock that thundered down the mountains, the people of Peru have come together over food to help rebuild their communities. With the cooking utensils provided by ShelterBox, Yolanda was able to organize a community kitchen to feed 100 people each day. Every day, a new family would take turns cooking meals for the other community members. Yolanda’s kitchen gave hope to those in the midst of disaster and chaos. She is a survivor. She is inventive. She is a community leader. ShelterBox’s campaign #ShelterHer strives to raise awareness of the difficulties displaced women face on a daily basis. You can stand with the thousands of displaced women by giving donations that sponsor ShetlerBox’s much-needed shelter kits that provide women and their families security and safety. Join ShelterBox, stand with her, and help empower women around the world. Go to https://www.shelterboxusa.org/she/ to learn more about the #ShelterHer campaign or to donate.