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What do people left homeless by disaster or war need to survive?
Click on the links to find out about the basic minimum that aid agencies try to provide.

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Minimum requirement*: 3.5 - 5.5 square metres per person
Aid agencies often give out heavy-duty plastic sheeting for families to use to build their own shelters. Bamboo poles may be provided to prevent depletion of local forests.

Family-sized shelters are preferable to communal ones, as they provide more privacy and security. Tents are also widely used when available, but are difficult to heat in cold climates. More space is needed in low temperatures as more time is spent inside the shelter.

*Requirements recommended by the Sphere Project, an umbrella group of aid agencies

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