INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2021

#CHOOSETOCHALLENGE #SHELTERHER

EMPOWERING WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD

 

International Women’s Day marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality around the globe. This year, ShelterBox is hosting our first ever virtual International Women’s Day panel.

Join us live online to hear from an inspiring and diverse panel of female leaders, as they share their personal experiences and insights into the daily disparities and challenges women face.  Learn about how we can collectively work together to change the narrative by empowering women around the world.

Monday | March 8, 2021| 3 pm EST/12 pm PST

Learn more about how women and children are disproportionately affected by disaster and how ShelterBox works to support them.

       

meet the panelists

Kerri Murray

President, ShelterBox USA

Kerri Murray is President of ShelterBox USA, an international disaster relief charity that delivers shelter and essential supplies to people affected by natural disaster or conflict. She regularly speaks on issues of philanthropy, international development, and female empowerment. She resides in Santa Barbara with her 17-year old daughter.

Marie Kagaju Laugharn

International Development and Corporate Social Responsibility

As the Political Affairs Officer for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), she played a major role in convincing 7 African countries to ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention Treaty. She worked as a Program Specialist for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Mali for several years, as well as Program Officer for UNDP in Kenya, Central African Republic, and Rwanda. Since moving to California in 2008, Marie has remained actively involved in international development through her work with Malaria No More, Netherlands, Seeds of Empowerment, Teach AIDS, One World Children’s Fund, and Firelight Foundation. She has also served as a Middlebury Institute of International Studies Monterey DPMI facilitator.

Valarie Wafer

Rotary International Director, 2020-2022

Valarie Wafer joined Rotary in 2005 in order to fuel her passion for making an impact that matters. Valarie was District Governor of RI district 7070 covering the Greater Toronto Area in 2013/14. Now residing in Collingwood, her home club is the Rotary Club of Collingwood South Georgian Bay, RI district 7010. Valarie has continued to serve Rotary in a number of international roles. She is an International Trainer, a member of the Host Organizing Convention Committee Toronto 2018, representative of the Rotary International President, and is an elected member of the Rotary International Board for 2020-2022.

Andrea Sreshta

Co-Founder, LuminAID

Andrea Sreshta is a Co-founder of LuminAID, a company dedicated to innovative renewable energy solutions for humanitarian aid and outdoor recreation. Outreach projects with charitable partners have put donated lights on-the-ground for use in projects in more than 100 countries.

Leslie Zemeckis

Author, Actress, Writer and Documentarian

Leslie Zemeckis is a best-selling author, actress, writer and award-winning documentarian. Leslie’s critically acclaimed films include Behind the Burly Q, the true story of old-time burlesque in America which ran on Showtime. Leslie is currently working on a mentorship program of professional female storytellers mentoring under-served young women ages 18-25 called Stories Matter. 

Elizabeth Silva

Assistant Director, Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality, The Asia Foundation

Elizabeth Romanoff Silva is a gender equality specialist with more than 10 years of expertise working on the intersection of women’s and girls’ rights and economic growth, education, and health. As Assistant Director for Women’s Empowerment at The Asia Foundation, Elizabeth oversees the Foundation’s women’s economic empowerment portfolio to advance women’s entrepreneurship, employment and girls’ and young women’s educational opportunities. Middlebury Institute of International Studies Monterey ’11 graduate.

Jennifer Lynch

Sr Vice President, CSR, Paramount Pictures

Jennifer specializes in Urban Economic and Community Development, currently serves on the board of the Environmental Media Association, and is a member of the LA Sustainability Executives Roundtable and the Sustainable Production Alliance. Jennifer co-founded LA Community Leaders, which seeks to expand the positive impact of business on Southern California communities by connecting corporate responsibility professionals across the region. She has served as a mentor in both Step Up’s Professional Mentorship Program and for Emerging Practioners in Philanthropy and has been a featured speaker at LA Social Media Week; the West Hollywood Women’s Leadership Conference and at the StubHub Center’s Women in Entertainment Lunch. 

Kate Bollinger

Gender Advisor, USAID

Kate Bollinger is the Senior Gender Advisor in USAID’s Asia Bureau and the Acting Division Chief of the Policy and Strategic Planning Division. Kate supports integration of gender across USAID’s programming in Asia with a focus on areas including gender-based violence; women’s economic empowerment; and women’s leadership. In her role as Acting Division Chief, she supports USAID in Asia’s strategy and policy development and implementation. Middlebury Institute of International Studies Monterey ’11 graduate.

EMPOWERING WOMEN TO REBUILD AND RECOVER

WOMEN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY DISASTER

 

As women around the world flee violence and face disasters, they are often left homeless and vulnerable.

Women experience higher death rates, increased gender-based violence, economic loss and loss of education. However, women are pivotal in the recovery process – they are often the first responders to a crisis and play a central role in the survival and resilience of families and communities.

Last year we reached thousands of women, delivering emergency shelter and supporting them to rebuild their homes and their lives.

Join us, stand with her, and help empower women around the world. #ShelterHer

 

Take the Challenge

HOW SHELTERBOX IS WORKING TO CHANGE THIS

 

At ShelterBox, we prioritize the most vulnerable families and communities and empower them to rebuild and restart.

By providing women and families with immediate emergency aid we can help them recover faster. Rebuilding their homes, caring for their families, resuming their livelihoods.

 

Learn more about how ShelterBox supports women

 

Bangladesh - Rohingya Crisis - Guljar - 2017

 

An estimated ONE IN FIVE female refugees have experienced sexual violence – actual numbers could be much higher

Violence against women increases in conflict settings, with more than 70% of women experiencing it in some crisis settings (ActionAid)

 

60% of preventable maternal deaths take place in settings of conflict, displacement and natural disasters (UNFPA)

75%

Women and Children account for more than 75% of the refugees and displaced persons globally. (WHO SouthEast Asia)

14 X

Women and Children are up to 14 times more likely to die during a natural disaster than men. (UNDP)

All

All forms of violence against women increase during disasters and displacement. (UN Women)

CHOOSE TO CHALLENGE - #SHELTERHER

BECOME A CHANGEMAKER: TAKE THE #SHELTERHER CHALLENGE

ShelterBox is challenging 100 women to stand with and help lift up women who have lost everything to disaster with a monthly donation of $85.

Over the course of a year, your monthly commitment will amount to the cost of a complete ShelterBox ($1,000) and will provide not only shelter and supplies, but a home for a mother to provide for and take care of her family.

Together, we can help families return to normal by providing women with the tools and training they need. Together we can empower women after disaster.

 

 

Muna carrying her son

Chadian women holding ShelterBox aid items above their heads

Nelcie

Behula and her son

Grace and her family outside their tent

 

shelterbox icon

RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH

Despite being disproportionately affected by disasters, we are constantly amazed by the incredible strength that women show. Meet some of these strong women who have rebuilt their homes and protected their families in the face of disaster.

SHE IS ESTHER.

Esther holding her youngest while her oldest eats

She is a survivor. She is an entrepreneur. She is a mother.

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 Minawao refugee camp.

She is now married, a mother of two, and owns her own business as a seamstress.

Anytime I see somebody wearing something that I sewed, it makes me happy. I can now take care of some family needs.”

Esther is no longer simply surviving; she’s living and looking forward to a brighter future.

WOMEN WHO INSPIRE US

Support Women in Crisis

ShelterBox works with communities affected by disaster and conflict to ensure that no family goes without shelter. We give immediate emergency aid, so that women and their families can start rebuilding their homes and lives for the future. It can be the simplest items that provide a sense of relief. You can stand with women by giving the aid they urgently need.

Support Our Work