When disaster strikes, the process of recovery is about more than solely finding a place to shelter. It’s about rebuilding a sense of normal life – cooking a family meal, studying after dark, or feeling safe as night falls.
That’s why we include essential household items like kitchen sets and solar lights, to help people regain a sense of normalcy after disaster.
Kitchen sets: nourishment, normalcy and dignity
Our kitchen sets include items like pots, pans, dishes, and utensils – basic items that make it possible to cook and share meals together again. For many families, these items symbolise a return to normal life after chaos.
We’ve moved to a more flexible, locally adapted model of aid, because every disaster is different. By tailoring our response to each community, we can support communities in their process of rebuilding safety, stability and dignity.
Racia’s story – Mozambique
“When I finally arrived in this camp, I had nothing, only my children.”
Just as Racia and her family were recovering from Cyclone Kenneth, insurgents attacked their village in northern Mozambique. Forced to flee, they left everything behind
“Before displacement, I lived well. We never lacked food. Our children went to school, and we lived freely,” Racia recalls. But the cyclone destroyed her home, and later, the violence destroyed what little remained.
Now living in a camp for displaced people, Racia received a ShelterBox aid package, including a kitchen set, blankets, and a tarpaulin to rebuild shelter.
“I am very grateful for the kit I received. With these pots, I can cook for myself and my children. Everything has been very useful.”
Despite the hardship, Racia remained hopeful:
“I would like to return home and live without any fear or worry.”
Boureima’s story – Burkina Faso
“We were sleeping under the stars without mats or blankets and at the mercy of the cold and the rain.”
Boureima, a father of ten, fled escalating violence in Burkina Faso. After weeks of displacement, his family found refuge in Louda-Peuhl, where they received a ShelterBox tent, solar lights, and kitchen set.
“The tent saved me from renting a house, and the kitchen utensils allowed me to live in good hygienic conditions. This has significantly reduced my children’s illnesses.”
Access to shelter and essential items gave Boureima’s family the stability to focus on their wellbeing and future – a step toward recovery, led by their own strength and optimism.
“There is hope for a better tomorrow. We must be optimistic.”
Solar lights: safety, learning and hope
In places where disaster has disrupted daily routines, the absence of light after sunset can make life harder. Solar lights are one of the practical items families receive – helping them get on with life when the sun goes down.
Light means being able to cook safely, help children study at night, and move around at night without fear. These solar lights are lightweight, waterproof, and easy to recharge. They can hang inside a tent or charge outside during the day, and some can even power phones and small devices. By replacing candles or kerosene lamps, solar lights can also help to reduce fire risks. They’re built to last and are made from durable, weather-resistant materials, – they should offer a reliable source of light for months or even years.
From the Philippines to Chad, solar lights are part of the everyday recovery process for families affected by conflict or disaster. They don’t fix everything, but they help people live with a little more ease, safety, and connection.
Give a gift that supports people’s lives
This festive season, you can help make life a little easier.
When you gift a kitchen set or solar light through ShelterBox, you’re contributing to the everyday tools families use to cook, stay safe, and care for one another. It helps people get on with life, with dignity and hope, as they recover after disaster.
The heading image captures Loklin, Shelley’s son from Vanuatu, with a kitchen set after Cyclone Harold.
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