Friday 05 February 2010
Aid for a further 18,000 Haitians leaves the UK
Arial picture of Congress Camp in Haiti where 400 ShelterBox tents have been set up. Photograph: Mark Pearson
Emergency humanitarian aid for up to 18,000 Haitians is due to leave the UK late tonight (Friday, February 5).
The chartered flight will leave from London Stansted airport and fly into Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The ShelterBoxes will then travel overland into Haiti.
This is the third flight of aid that has left the UK for Haiti in as many weeks. Flying with the aid are ShelterBox Response Team members Mark Boeck (UK) and David Ray (UK) as well as ShelterBox Head of Operations, John Leach (UK).
John has been running the aid effort from ShelterBox HQ and is relishing the chance to coordinate the response from the field.
‘The logistical problems have eased and it is a relief that we now have a sizeable quantity of boxes on the ground and we can concentrate more on the distribution of boxes rather than the difficulty of getting them in,’ he said.
'There is still an overwhelming need for shelter and we have to continue to do all we get ShelterBoxes to those who need it the most. The security environment is difficult so we have to work hard with all the other agencies to achieve a coordinated approach to distribution.
‘I’m looking forward to meeting all our partners such as ACTED, the IOM and the US military who have been great in helping us get the boxes to those need shelter.’
Responsibility
This will be John’s second ShelterBox deployment since he became Head of Operations in October 2009.
He added: 'I'm feeling a sense of achievement to finally be in a position to go out to Haiti and work with the Response Team and also a sense of pride with working with ShelterBox and the amazing things we have achieved in a short space of time.
'I'm also feeling the gravity of responsibility of running such a good team in such difficult circumstances and making sure all the good work we have been doing so far continues.'
When this latest shipment of aid arrives, the total number of ShelterBoxes sent to Haiti will have reached 7,000; enough aid for 70,000 Haitians.
The ShelterBox Response Team on the ground say there are still thousands of people in need of shelter and the operation remains challenging.
Speaking from the UN compound in Port au Prince, ShelterBox Response Team member Tom Lay (UK) said: ‘We’re working extremely hard delivering boxes and providing people with shelter but there are still so many people in need of our help.’
Watch a slideshow images from ShelterBox's response to the Haiti Earthquake.
