Overview
When disaster strikes, the damage to buildings and homes can have severe impact. Shelter is essential for human survival, protection, and health. But, with millions of people displaced every year, the need for shelter has never been greater.
Our aims
To help people survive – and to maintain their dignity and security – people need shelter.
We aim to:
- Provide and secure informal shelters (like tents) and rehabilitate war-damaged homes for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
- Develop shelter solutions which are holistic, culturally sensitive, and fit for purpose. We assess health, protection and livelihood needs to shape our wider response.
- Deliver emergency solutions. When disasters strike – like floods and earthquakes – we work with local partners to provide temporary shelter.
STATS
- 6.8 million Syrians are internally displaced in their own country.
- In Bangladesh, almost one in four people live in poverty; 5 million live without housing and 124 million live in mud houses and slums.
- Every year, natural disasters such as earthquakes and flooding cause many to become homeless around the world. For example, the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco on 08.9.23 made 380,000 people temporarily or permanently homeless.
PREVIOUS WORK
THE LAST DECADE HAS SEEN UNIMAGINABLE DESTRUCTION AND CHAOS IN SYRIA, AND MORE THAN 11 MILLION PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES.
Since then, people returning from refugee settlements in neighbouring countries have found their old homes completely destroyed or uninhabitable.
We’re still working hard to rehabilitate homes that were damaged. We focus on safety and hygiene so that people can return to their normal lives. In February 2023, an earthquake caused setbacks, destabilising walls and foundations. The project team had to redo cement work, which delayed completion, but has now successfully finished all 15 homes – rehoming a total of 106 people.
CASE STUDY
When they travelled to Pakistan after the floods, our team met Baba. His home was seriously damaged, and he was struggling to survive in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. Our team brought him emergency items and launched a campaign to raise funds for Baba. Building work on his new home is complete, and Baba is in receipt of a Salam Charity sponsorship.
In Lebanon, which is home to the largest refugee population in the world, millions of people live in temporary shelters which are ill-equipped for the winter months; as the cold season approaches, our teams rehabilitate the internal and external structures of tents, re-wiring the electric systems for safety.
To rehabilitate one average-sized tent (5’10) in Lebanon it costs £2500 and an £120 to provide a new tarpaulin (the external plastic sheet) for a family tent.
Many are internally displaced in Syria due to the years of conflict they experienced. Our teams on the ground do thorough assessments to carefully select homes which need refurbishment in order for it to be habitable. Our dedicated teams install new aluminium doors, fiberglass windows, and conduct repairs on woodwork and iron fittings. Essential upgrades include painting main rooms, updating wiring, and maintaining the water and sewage networks. To enhance living conditions, we add accessories such as lamps, tubes, and taps, ensuring a comprehensive transformation for individuals to rebuild their lives with dignity and resilience. If you would like to help a Syrian family return to their home, it costs £3,200.
