Shelter

Providing shelter for those who have been forced to flee their homes is at the core of UNHCR's work. From tents and plastic sheeting in an emergency to rebuilding their communities when they return home, your donations ensure refugee families have shelter at every stage of their journey.

The emergency: In their attempt to flee conflict and war, many refugees find themselves relocating to environments where they are exposed to desert plains, tropical heat, freezing snow or torrential rain. Something as simple as a plastic tarpaulin, a canvas tent or even a blanket can mean the difference between refugees surviving or dying due to exposure and/or disease.

UNHCR's role: With many refugee populations living in extreme climates, providing emergency shelter is a priority for UNHCR. Families living in the open are highly prone to violence and are more vulnerable to dehydration and insect borne disease.

Relief provided: As the lead Agency for shelter relief in many crises and disasters, we have managed to get hundreds of thousands of vulnerable families under cover. Our Emergency Response Teams often include site planners, camp management experts and civil engineers.

As a direct result of your generous donations, the UN Refugee Agency has been able to accommodate the various shelter needs of refugees. For example:

• During the floods in Pakistan, we provided 167,000 tents and 321,000 plastic sheets to shelter 1.7 million people.
• During the bitter Georgian winter, we provided displaced families with simple folding beds to keep them off the freezing ground.
• In places like Afghanistan, UNHCR provides building kits for returning refugees, enabling them to rebuild their lives back home.

Total funds raised to date: $318,000

Read more examples of how your donations have contributed to other UNHCR Programs.