The Nepal RSK response team provided award winning RSK shelters
for families displaced by the Jajarkot earthquake and Mahottari fire
Nalgad earthquake 2013
Mahottari fire 2024
Standard RSK shelter built by community for 194 people displaced by the Jarjakot earthquake.
Double RSK shelters built for UNICEF to use for Child Friendly Center (CFC) and medical distribution units.
When the team arrived in these remote rural communities
many families were still living in very poorly built shelters
Nalgad December 2023
Nalgad December 2023
Kushe January 2024
Their main problem was building the roof of their shelter.
These families were empowered to build their own shelters
after being shown by the team how to use this RSK roof innovation:
3 metres
The two communities that had been struck by the earthquake were shown by our response team how to build this roof frame. They then proceeded to build their own RSK shelters that provided protection and security throughout the winter months.
Empowering displaced families with this ability to build their own RSK shelters has always been one of our main objectives and we now have a clear vision of how well this can work for a large scale disaster.
Day 1 of disaster:
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For large scale disasters, where even the number of relief tarpaulins may be limited, the Emergency RSK has many advantages that can make it the shelter of choice.
This 5 person complete shelter kit costs less than USD $35. It uses only 9 poles and requires only two different lengths of bamboo. It is easily carried and can be built by a family in less than two hours. ​
​It can be built on slopes that are unsuitable for tents, adapted to fit any size of tarpaulin or cut down to fit any restricted floor space.
The Emergency RSK
​When tarpaulins are not available the roof of this shelter can be thatched with palm leaves. If necessary it can also support salvaged materials such as wooden planks. ​
By the end of day 1:
Every family should have erected and be secure inside their Emergency RSK shelter. This is possible if the two lengths of bamboo that are needed for making this shelter are available.
Days 2 and 3 of a disaster:
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Standard RSK shelters can be rapidly built by families . These highly versatile modular units provide the minimum dignified temporary living space that we aspire to achieve. ​​​​
This 5 person complete shelter kit costs less than USD $45. Using only 8 poles and 4 posts this kit can also be carried. Build time is only limited by how rapid the 4 post holes are dug and is less than three hours.
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The Standard RSK
Days 2 and 3 of a disaster:
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​Double RSK shelters can also be rapidly built by disaster responders working with the community . Families can also easily upgrade their Emergency or Standard RSKs to this shelter as they all use the same roof panels.
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The living space is easy to divide for privacy by hanging partitions from the overhead roof frames. As in the Standard RSK, ventilation is adjustable at eaves level all around the perimeter of the shelter.
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The Double RSK
​Days 2 to 10 of a disaster:​
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​Modular double RSK units can rapidly provide large temporary emergency or utility shelters that may be required at this time.
Two double RSKs provide 35 square metres of covered space for a 4 bed temporary medical or isolation ward. Adding units creates much larger wards as required. In Nepal UNICEF recently used units for temporary classrooms. The units are also ideal for washrooms with partitions for privacy.​​​​
Modular double RSK units
At any time :
The RSK roof panel can be used on its own.
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For families whose dwellings have suffered severe roof damage the RSK roof panel can be cut to fit the space and provide a temporary repair.
RSK panel roof being used to repair a roof.
The Urban RSK is designed for urban disasters, particularly earthquakes.
It is the first bamboo frame shelter kit that is freestanding on concrete or asphalt
​The shelter provides considerable advantages for any disaster response, especially in a town or city.​​​​​​​​
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Urban RSK
Achievements to date
2011 South Sudan. Medair
2012 Ireland. RSK
2013 Nepal. Oxfam
2014 UK. UWE University
2015 Belgium. RSK wins
2016 Myanmar. Red Cross
2017 Myanmar. Joint RSK and
2018 Bangladesh. Hospital camp
Sarlahi school Nepal 2023
TO SCALE UP THE RSK SHELTER KITS FOR BOTH DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND
DISASTER RESPONSE WORLDWIDE
2019 UK. RSK training modules
2020 Myanmar. UNICEF take RSK
​2021 Italy. After the Damages
2022 Nepal. Start training RSK
2023 Nepal. First RSK shelter team
​​​It is rare that a new type of shelter can directly improve the health of recipient families, especially children, and at the same time improve the safety and welfare of displaced families.
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If this is a vision your organisation would like to share, please contact us.
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Shaun Halbert
Director RSK Shelter Charity
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2024 Nepal. Deployment after fire