| I do not believe so. I believe there was a time | | | | |
| when tents were adequate: in the past. The | | | | So by effectively delivering tents we subjugate |
| problem I have is failing to understand how, in this | | | | the recipient to decades of desperate living |
| modern age, we can have so many people who | | | | conditions without adequate shelter. Further to |
| do not have adequate shelter in our world. With | | | | this, the tents only last a year or two at best so |
| new technology and material, vast global | | | | they need to be re-issued or worse yet, when |
| distribution networks, large numbers of available | | | | not re-issued people are left exposed and |
| resources (workers) in developing countries, and | | | | vulnerable for a long time. |
| trillion dollar economies we haven’t been able | | | | The costs then mount, the logistics of |
| to figure out how to get millions or rather | | | | redistribution of humanitarian goods and services |
| hundreds of millions of people sheltered in an | | | | continues, health deteriorates, education suffers, |
| adequate structure. | | | | and the downward spiral effectively cripples a |
| | | | | group of people. And this cost does reach you; |
| The United Nations (U.N.) has defined what | | | | after all, you pay taxes and some of the taxes |
| inadequate shelter is, and more can be learned by | | | | go toward disaster relief internationally and you |
| visiting the UN HABITAT website. They further | | | | pay dues to the United Nations. |
| state that adequate shelter is a right under article | | | | |
| 25 of the Universal Declaration and further | | | | So there has to be a better way and that way is |
| reinforce this right with the Millennium | | | | to deliver a core infrastructure housing module. |
| Development Goals. The ground work for these | | | | Not an entire house but a sturdy module that can |
| resolutions has been in the making since the | | | | be delivered at the time of a disaster and serve |
| 1980’s yet by there own facts and figures | | | | as a simple shelter but built upon by the recipient |
| 1.4 billion people are now living in inadequate | | | | as the people in an area recover from the |
| shelter and over 500 million have no shelter at | | | | disaster. |
| all. | | | | |
| | | | | What this does is essentially stops the process of |
| So what is wrong? Well the truth is many | | | | throwing money at programs for decades while |
| things: politics, money, war, disasters, property | | | | trying to recover from a disaster. People have a |
| rights, and more each play a role in a | | | | decent, sturdy, warm, protected shelter very |
| person’s ability to acquire adequate shelter. | | | | shortly after the disaster in which they can begin |
| However I have another problem not often | | | | to recover and add to the unit as time and |
| spoken about. People who are caught in the | | | | money allow. And if they are never able to build |
| encumbrances of disaster and conflict often | | | | upon the unit then they have at lease received a |
| receive shelter from the U.N., Government | | | | simple shelter and are not left unsheltered for |
| Agencies like USAID, and large NGO’s like the | | | | decades. |
| International Federation of the Red Cross and Red | | | | |
| Crescent (IFRC); but have you seen what gets | | | | So are there shelters out there that can facilitate |
| passed out? People caught in unfortunate and | | | | this without breaking the bank? We believe so |
| often desperate situations are given blue plastic | | | | and we believe IADDIC Shelter, LLC has just such |
| tarps and tents. | | | | a product. They manufacture a semi rigid foam |
| | | | | shelter that is folded and placed in a bag for |
| You may ask what is wrong with that and offer | | | | economical shipping. The shelter requires no |
| what appears to be a valid argument; we | | | | assembly and only minor finishing when sent to |
| can’t afford to just give these folks a new | | | | the disaster. They say the shelter can be set up |
| house. I counter that it is not as cut and dry as | | | | in less than an hour and lasts for decades. |
| that. You see, I believe these things have a | | | | |
| place for a very short term time period. But | | | | It appears to me that this is an ideal solution to |
| let’s face it; it takes decades to reconstruct | | | | eliminate tents as a solution for housing. Further |
| cities and countries. Just look at New Orleans as | | | | it is in line with the U.N.’s stated resolutions |
| an example. In the most developed country in | | | | proclaiming adequate shelter for all. I am certain |
| the world it will take a decade or more before | | | | a claim can be made that even the IADDIC |
| she is back to a size and shape she was in before | | | | shelter is not adequate and for most people in the |
| the hurricane landed upon her. Now, if it takes a | | | | developed world this is true, however; if you |
| decade in the United States, how long in a | | | | happen to be one of those people living in the |
| developing country. The real answer is many | | | | developing world then this is an improvement |
| decades and sometimes never. | | | | above everything being used today. |