05 Apr 2016
Every year hundreds and thousands of communities, often with no warning, lose their homes, their possessions and their livelihoods because of natural or man-made disasters. Every day they are faced with a battle for survival.
Last year, the KHS SRC co-ordinated a fundraising campaign to support the victims of the earthquake in Nepal and the hurricane in Vanuatu. The students decided that, rather than just donating money to an organisation, they wanted to use the funds to purchases items in need. The concept of Shelter Boxes were discussed and decided upon.
A Shelter Box is a large plastic lidded container, containing a range of items that will provide vital supplies to support communities around the world overwhelmed by disaster and humanitarian crisis. The items supply an extended family with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless. In addition to the tent, the boxes contain a range of their survival equipment including thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets, mosquito nets, water carrying bag and a lifesaving water purification system, multi-fuel burning stove, pots, utensils, bowls and mugs as well as some school items.
On Thursday 31 March, the SRC hosed Peter and Lorraine Croft from the Dubbo Macquarie Rotary Club at our morning assembly. The Crofts are an integral part of the Shelter Box Australia Team who co-ordinate the purchase and distribution of Shelter Boxes throughout the world. They displayed the contents of the boxes and explained to students the purpose behind each item, it's uses and relevance to families. The Crofts also passed on their congratulations to the students and staff of KHS for their amazing abilities to raise funds to purchase 2 Shelter Boxes. At $1000 a piece, they recognise the great efforts that were made to accomplish such an achievement.
If anyone would like to know more about Shelter Box, make a donation to their cause or purchase one themselves we encourage you to go to the website at http://www.shelterboxaustraila.com.au/index.php and take a look.
Helen Fuller SRC Co-ordinator