A Northern Rivers disaster response expert is helping support a global humanitarian effort to provide shelter and essential supplies to thousands of people left displaced following devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.

Rous resident Mike Greenslade, Chief Executive Officer of ShelterBox Australia, is playing a key role in supporting the charity’s emergency response after two powerful earthquakes caused widespread destruction across multiple Venezuelan states.

Mr Greenslade said the disaster in Venezuela had created a “crisis on top of a crisis”.

“A third of the population was in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake struck,” he said.

The earthquakes have caused widespread damage to homes, roads and essential infrastructure, leaving communities facing further challenges with access to services including electricity and clean water.

“Not only has there been massive damage to buildings there has also been massive damage to roads and services such as electricity and water on top of the need for shelter,” Mr Greenslade said.

ShelterBox Australia is working with local organisations and Rotary members in Venezuela to help deliver the right support to families who have lost their homes or been forced to leave unsafe buildings.

Mr Greenslade said one of the immediate priorities was ensuring communities had access to clean water to prevent further health emergencies.

“Our top priorities are looking at water purification because we want to avoid a second disaster because they don’t have access to clean water and things can get very dangerous, very quickly,” he said.

The response will also focus on providing solar lights, mosquito nets, tents, tarpaulins and tools to help families create emergency shelter and repair damaged homes.

“We also need solar lights, because their electricity has been decimated, possibly mosquito nets and on top of that it will be tents, tarpaulins and tools to build emergency shelters and so they can carry out repairs to damaged homes,” Mr Greenslade said.

Mr Greenslade’s connection with ShelterBox began in 2006 when he joined the organisation as a photographer and volunteer, using his communications skills to support disaster responses around the world.

“I joined ShelterBox in 2006 working as a photographer and back then my skills were very handy deploying as a volunteer,” he said.

After returning to Australia with his wife in 2009, he began working for ShelterBox in a part-time communications role before moving into the CEO position, a role he has held for the past decade.

Working from his home office in the Northern Rivers, Mr Greenslade now helps support ShelterBox’s global humanitarian operations.

“Our work is very tangible because we provide emergency shelter and essential items in disaster and conflicts and have great support in Australia around the globe,” he said.

ShelterBox began as a Rotary Club project in Cornwall, United Kingdom, in 2000 and has grown into an international disaster relief organisation working with local partners and communities around the world.

The organisation has previously responded to major disasters including earthquakes in Haiti, Nepal and Türkiye.

Anyone wishing to help can donate at shelterboxaustralia.org.au

Photo: ShelterBox Australia and its CEO Mike Greenslade are helping support Venezuela recover from massive earthquakes.