International charity scales up its mission
The international disaster relief charity ShelterBox has appointed its first chief operating officer.
Natasha Eden is joining the Cornwall-based charity as it scales up its mission to provide emergency shelter to people uprooted from their homes by disaster or conflict.
More people than ever are in urgent need of emergency shelter, and ShelterBox is growing to ensure it can support as many people as possible.
Nastasha will be responsible for steering the day-to-day operations of the charity, streamlining processes, and making sure everyone is working towards ShelterBox’s goal of leaving no one without shelter after disaster.
She joins ShelterBox from Sanctuary where she has been overseeing a multi-million-pound social housing decarbonisation fund.
‘I have been following ShelterBox for a number of years and have always been impressed by its delivery of emergency shelter and how it innovates to ensure this is done with local partnerships and by listening to the voices of affected communities,’ says Natasha.
More than 12000 people remain displaced across central Malawi with many homes still submerged by flood waters following heavy rains. Image: ShelterBox.
‘I’m thrilled to be working in a charity with such a clear vision, no one without shelter after disaster, and as the new chief operating officer I am committed to working with our global team and partners to ensure we strengthen our impact through the achievement of our strategic objectives and that we do this effectively and efficiently.’
Bringing ‘extensive experience to the role’
‘Tasha brings extensive experience to the role from the private and public sector as well as being based in Cornwall,’ says Sanj Srikanthan, Chief Executive of ShelterBox.
‘She will be focused on that all important question about ‘what makes the boat go faster’ at ShelterBox.’
‘This will include leading a review of our strategy progress this year, as well as working with teams on priority areas that will make us more effective as an organisation.’
The charity is currently supporting displaced people across the world, including in Malawi where thousands of people have been displaced by severe flooding in a cycle of disaster that is devastating the country.
It’s also responding in Gaza to support some of the 1.7 million people who have been displaced by the conflict.
ShelterBox has an urgent appeal for the response in which it will be working with local partners and Rotary to support thousands of people with tents and essential items like sleeping mats, blankets, and water carriers.
Since it was founded in 2000, ShelterBox has supported more than 2.5 million people across around 100 countries with different combinations of emergency shelter, support and essential household items.
The charity has operational headquarters in Truro and an operational team permanently based in the Philippines because of the frequency with which it responds there.
It currently has teams working to support displaced communities affected by conflict in Yemen, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Syria, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Chad, as well as drought affected people in Somalia.
To find out more, visit: shelterbox.org