More Than Shelters

Daniel Kerber 

Founded by Ashoka Fellow, Daniel Kerber

The Problem

Many people who flee conflict find themselves powerless in unsanitary and often dangerous refugee camps. A displaced person spends an average of twelve years in a refugee camp, originally designed to house people on the move for no more than a year. Current temporary living solutions for flight migrants are inadequate and unsustainable; the housing is often used for much longer than anticipated and does not serve the (long-term) needs of those arriving in the camps.  

The Solution

More Than Shelters involves flight migrants in creating sustainable solutions and dignified spaces through ‘integrated humanitarian design’. The project works with flight migrants to transform shelters into places of opportunity, where they can plan the next, positive phase of their lives. This place of survival turns into a place of living, facilitating to individual needs, safety, security and privacy. More Than Shelters gives flight migrants the chance to actively shape their surroundings, through which they become empowered participants instead of passive victims. Projects are set up within three ‘innovation units’, which are the planning office, humanitarian innovation and products. Through these, the project develops camps and arrival centres based on contemporary urban design methods integrating the needs of the different stakeholders, it implements sector-changing innovations and develops technical innovations with refugee communities, NGOs and universities.  

The Impact

More Than Shelters has worked with flight migrants in Jordan, Greece, Nepal and Germany. The project has produced innovations such as the DOMO Shelter System and a solar lamp in partnership with external organisations. Through innovation planning, the project has developed innovation incubators that promote the talents of its one million participants in Jordan, the MENA region, and Europe.