Food aid, in particular, is a problem since it is bulky and difficult to transport by air. In preparation, humanitarian agencies would like to pre-position large amounts of relief commodities now for Bo and Kenema. Serious security concerns remain about these routes, however, as commercial convoys have encountered attacks and humanitarian agencies have had vehicles commandeered. The WFP-managed humanitarian helicopter, cofunded by OFDA, continues to transport humanitarian personnel to conduct assessment missions as well as to ferry small humanitarian cargoes. Improved road access, however, remains critical for humanitarian operations.
Plastic sheeting provides a useful complement to locally available materials such as mud bricks.
CARE is serving as the lead-coordinating agency in a joint effort to address shelter needs. Shelter agencies' preference is to use shelter material, including plastic sheeting, to build for individual families at their home locations, rather than building more IDP camps. Rapid house reconstruction minimizes the time IDPs need to live in camps. However, many families will be unable to rebuild or repair their homes prior to the rainy season. Therefore, aid agencies reluctantly anticipate the continuing needs for displaced camps in Freetown during the next several months.