International
disaster relief charity ShelterBox is distributing emergency shelter and school
equipment to
communities in Niger, West Africa, which are still reeling from the effects of
recent, devastating floods.
With
the help of Air France, 448 tents – enough for up to 4,500 people – are being
delivered to the northern, Agadez region this week.
A
further 50 disaster relief tents and classroom equipment for up to 200 children
are being deployed with the assistance of the French military. Each of the four
Classrooms in a Box will provide a
teacher and 50 pupils with items such as pens, paper, chalk, blackboards and
maths sets, enabling them to resume lessons after the
devastation.
A
specially-trained ShelterBox Response Team will be arriving in Niger shortly to
distribute the aid.
Ranked 174th
of 179 countries on the Human Development Index, Niger is faced with enormous
suffering that was significantly worsened by some of the worst flooding to hit
the region in decades last September. Flash flooding wreaked havoc among the
poorest communities leaving an estimated 100,000 homeless. Agadez was one of the
hardest-hit areas and difficult to deliver aid to, as recent conflicts have
limited access for international aid.
At the time,
ShelterBox worked side by side with the French government and military to send
15 tonnes of aid into Niger. Tremendous efforts by ShelterBox France secured a
French military C-130 plane which flew the aid and response team into
Niger.
John Leach,
ShelterBox’s Head of Operations, said: ‘Many more families in
Niger remain in need of urgent help and we are doing everything we can to ensure
they get it.’
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