The severe flooding from monsoon rains has devastated communities and destroyed crops across India, Nepal and Bangladesh, with fears being raised of food shortages and the risk of disease.
Since its formation in 1992, Aquabox has distributed more than 110,000 humanitarian aid boxes to countries around the world suffering from natural or man-made disasters, helping hundreds of thousands of people in times of crisis.
And the Derbyshire-based charity has been particularly active over the past few weeks. Within days of the floods, Aquaboxes were airlifted to those areas in dire need of support.
Sadly, Nepal endures disasters on a regular basis.”
Roger Cassidy from the Rotary Club of Wirksworth and an Aquabox trustee revealed that these boxes had been held I stock in Nepal. “Sadly, the country endures disasters on a regular basis,” explained Roger.
“Aquabox has a long-established partnerships with the Rotary in Nepal, the British Gurkha Rifles, Nepal Armed Police, Nepalese Army and other agencies, and we have been able to work through these organisations to respond quickly and effectively when a disaster, such as last week’s floods, occur.”
Aquabox is now sending more equipment to both Nepal and Bangladesh over the coming week to provide safe drinking water and humanitarian aid to the communities.
Each box is designed for a family and contains over 70 humanitarian aid items in addition to an AquaFilter Family unit for providing safe drinking water, including:
- Shelter materials & tools
- Blankets and sheets
- Cooking utensils
- Personal hygiene items
- Baby & children’s clothing
- Educational items
- Children’s toys
Roger added that Aquabox would also be sending five community filters to Sierra Leone. These will be deployed in community centres, schools and field hospitals supporting families caught up in the dreadful mudslide recently experienced in the country
He said: “We are currently putting together an awareness and fundraising campaign to publicise these events and demonstrate how Rotarians, acting together, have been able to provide safe drinking water and vital aid to communities impacted by these natural events.”
For more details, visit the Aquabox website.
