ShelterBox New Zealand

13/04/2026

There are now one million people displaced in . That's one million people needlessly losing everything they have to this foolish war.

While headlines focus on surging oil prices or parenting belligerent toddlers, we urge you keep in mind the vast human cost of the Middle East crisis.

To see how you can support families displaced in Lebanon visit https://bit.ly/4mBHRpX

17/03/2026

ShelterBox is responding to help families devastated and homeless as a result of a repugnant amoral war. Help us to provide them with blankets, hygiene kits, solar lights, mattresses and other aid items.

Donate to help families in the Middle East https://shelterbox.org.nz/donate/

27/01/2026

“I didn’t imagine I would ever have a home.”

In October last year, our team met Zara in Chad and heard her story of leaving Sudan and rebuilding her life. Zara and her children had fled Sudan’s violence and escaped to Chad, joining more than 800,000 refugees in overcrowded camps and living in makeshift shelters.

In one of the hottest and driest places in the world, Zara had to walk for hours just to find water, struggling every day to survive.

A year on, working with our local partner Help Tchad , we have provided families like Zara’s with upgraded semi‑durable mudbrick shelters and essential aid, helping them rebuild their lives and find safety again.

On our latest visit, we were so happy to see Zara again in her new home and to hear how life has changed for her and her children.

When we first met Zara, she dreamed of returning to Sudan. Life in her temporary shelter was difficult, and she longed for home. This visit was different - she was feeling much more settled and happy in her new house.

"We can live much more comfortably. Everyone will have their share and we will be safe."

During our time in Chad, we saw new schools, places of worship, and income‑generating projects taking shape - signs of a community growing stronger and more resilient each day.

But the need remains vast. Every day, more people flee Sudan, which now faces the world’s largest and fastest‑growing displacement crisis. Over 14.6 million people have been forced from their homes, and 30.4 million - more than half the population - need humanitarian support.

Please share Zara's story and don't stop talking about the crisis in Sudan.

23/01/2026

“A house means a place where you raise your children and take shelter. It means a place of sleep and growth for you and your children."

This is Shushay - a mother of six who was forced to travel for a month on foot after the war in Tigray reached her home. "What I remember is that when the enemy entered, we fled. Those who escaped, escaped; those who died, died. We walked over corpses. We were lucky to escape."

The brutal conflict erupted in 2020 and lasted two years. In that time, over 2 million people were displaced from their homes. Now, nearly one million people remain unable to return, including Shushay and her family.

We met Shushay at a displacement site in Shire city, which houses 35,000 people. Living conditions are incredibly difficult for the family, who are also sharing their tent with Shushay's brother, his wife, and their children. She explains "We came from hardship only to enter a worse one here. It has been very difficult. We have nowhere to sleep or cover ourselves. The cold, the sun, and the rain have been very hard on us."

Working with our partner PAD, we have supported the family with blankets, a sleeping mat, mosquito net, kitchen set, household hygiene set, solar lamp, woven bag, and a dignity kit - including reusable sanitary pads.

Read Shushay's full story: https://tinyurl.com/ynp4pw6r

20/01/2026

More than 117 million people are currently displaced worldwide – yet fewer than one in 10 New Zealand adults are aware of some of the world’s most neglected crises driving families from their homes.

Last year, the number of people displaced across the globe surged to twice what it was ten years ago.

Each year, the NRC - Norwegian Refugee Council publishes a report on the ten most neglected displacement crises worldwide - shining a light on people whose suffering rarely makes headlines, who receive little or no assistance, and whose crises are overlooked by international diplomacy.

is responding in five of the countries on this list: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Somalia. In these places, conflict, climate disasters, and poverty have forced millions from their homes.

Far too few people know what’s happening in these countries. Help raise awareness - share this post.

Keep following to learn more.

16/01/2026

ShelterBox and Rotary work hand in hand—because when disaster strikes, partnership truly matters. 💙

Hear from our CEO Sanj Srikanthan as he shares sincere thanks to Rotary International for standing alongside ShelterBox, combining our technical expertise with Rotary’s extraordinary global network to reach communities faster, strengthen preparedness, and ensure no one is left without shelter after disaster.

13/01/2026

In the last two weeks, Ethiopia’s refugee response was declared on the brink of collapse by the Government of Ethiopia’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), UNHCR, and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Without urgent funding, life-saving help for more than 1.1 million refugees could stop in just weeks.

Ethiopia is Africa’s second-largest host of refugees. Many people have arrived because of fighting in Sudan and South Sudan and drought in Somalia. But big funding gaps have already forced aid agencies to cut emergency supplies by 70% in 2025.

The world cannot look away from Ethiopia. Please keep sharing to keep this crisis in the spotlight.

Learn more about Ethiopia’s crisis: https://bit.ly/3Ows0u0

10/01/2026

The kindness of everyday people can keep the darkness at bay. Even the smallest act can change the future for families in need after disaster and conflict.

This summer, while we're all out in the Aotearoa sunshine, consider giving the gift of shelter. Head over to shelterbox.org.nz to learn more.

04/01/2026

While many of us in Aotearoa are enjoying long summer days, beach trips, and time with whānau, millions of families in Syria are still rebuilding after 14 years of conflict.

The war, which began in 2011 amid unemployment, corruption, and lack of political freedom, has devastated homes and communities. Today, more than 16.7 million people still need humanitarian support.

Since the fall of the former government on 8 December 2024, hope has begun to return. By the end of October 2025, over 1.1 million refugees had returned to Syria from abroad, and more than 1.9 million internally displaced people have gone back to their home areas since late November 2024.

Working alongside our partner منظمة بهار (Bahar Organization), our latest ShelterBox project is helping families repair damaged homes and prepare for winter through e-vouchers. These vouchers give families dignity and choice, allowing them to buy the items they need most.

A recent ShelterBox visit to the region showed real progress. The team met with families, saw homes being rebuilt, and reviewed the winter supplies available through the voucher scheme.

Programme Manager Channa shared:
“We left feeling optimistic. The projects are strengthening the resilience we see everywhere, and there’s a real sense of hope about rebuilding lives and communities. We’re proud to play even a small part in that.” 💚

As we soak up summer here at home, we’re grateful to our supporters who help bring warmth, shelter, and hope to families facing a very different season.

31/12/2025

Happy New Year from all of us at ShelterBox New Zealand 🌞🎆

As Aotearoa heads into a new year filled with summer days, road trips, and time with friends and whānau, we’re reflecting on the families around the world who continue to rebuild after disaster and conflict.

Thanks to your support in 2024, thousands of people were able to take their first steps toward safety, shelter, and recovery. As we look ahead to the year to come, hope remains at the heart of everything we do — hope for stronger homes, safer communities, and a more secure future for families facing crisis.

From our ShelterBox whānau to yours, we wish you a safe, sunny, and hopeful New Year. 💚

29/12/2025

“After the earthquake, our lives and our dreams were destroyed.” 💔

Rochen is one of thousands left homeless by the devastating 6.9‑magnitude earthquake that struck the Philippines on September 30, 2025.

She had lived her entire life in her family home, which is now uninhabitable after being cracked open by the earthquake. For three nights, Rochen was forced to sleep outside, gripped by the constant fear of aftershocks - a fear that continues today.

Her life, like so many others, has been completely flipped upside down, stripped of the safety, security, and peace that a home provides.

ShelterBox Operations Philippines is leading a response to support up to 1,798 families who lost their homes, providing emergency shelter items and cash support.

“My hope is to rebuild our house so my family can return. It was the home of our grandparents, and we would love to go back.”

A big thank you to our partners Rotary International, including the Rotary Club of Cebu, and to everyone who has generously donated to help families in the Philippines rebuild - this wouldn't be possible without you 💚

26/12/2025

Good news from responses around the world🌟👇

Thank you for making this work possible - we couldn't do what we do without you.

Good news from ShelterBox responses worldwide: emergency shelter after Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, completed distributions in the Philippines after Typhoon Kalmaegi, and a new disaster preparedness project starting in Malawi.