By Nina and John
Canadians on this trip: Mark and Dawn Marshall, Tim Norman, Ross McClellan

Our first trip was with Serge Pun and Associates (SPA) travelling from Yangon to Pathein with 109 of their donors, volunteers and staff all involved with the initial emergency response. It quickly became apparent as to why international aid agencies all had so many difficulties and were met with a logistic nightmares trying to deliver assistance to the homeless victims of Cyclone Nargis.

We departed Yangon City at 7:00PM for the 100-mile journey on a very rough road. After arriving in Pathein 10 hours later, at 4:30am, we transferred to an express riverboat for a further 4-hour trip arriving at the village of Auk Pyun Wa on Middle Island at 9:00AM. At one point our river boat lost its steering coming to a halt up on mud flats due to deep fishing nets set up by local village entrepreneurs.

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Due to its long term presence in Myanmar AZG was able to respond quickly after Nargis struck Myanmar. Operations started on the 5th of May (Yangon Division) and 6th of May (Ayawaddy Division; Ngapudaw and Laputta).

AZG sent 250 national staff from the large existing programmes in Myanmar and used the medical reserves that were already present in the country.

In the first weeks AZG sent out 8 distribution teams to ensure the distribution of food (rice, oil, fish, beans) and non-food items (sheeting, bed nets, blankets, toolkits) and 8 watsan teams to clean up ponds and wells. Distribution was executed at household level, ensuring that all recipients did acquire the necessary items. AZG sent also 28 mobile medical teams to conduct medical consultations, set up feeding centers for malnutrition and opened 8 fixed clinics in the Ngapudaw and Laputta townships.

By Nina and Dawn

The slogan of this charitable hospital is “For the poor of all communities” and that it truly is, serving the Buddhist, Muslims, Hindus and Christians of Yangon city. We were greeted at the entrance by hordes of patients lined up to collect their prescribed medications. The out patient department was calling patient number 346! And it was only 10:30am. Our group arrived laden with bags of medical supplies, donations in kind from Canada, making for difficult passage in an already very crowd space. The donations we bring each year include sutures, anti-biotics, ambu bags, multi-vitamins, skin ointments, surgical blades, steri-strips, dental instruments and book.

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We take a four hour drive to Tbaeng Meanchey in Preah Vihear province with Carol Cassidy. Our first stop the abandoned children’s orphanage, Carol has supported for the last 10 years, to deliver blankets, mosquito nets, rice and vegetables.

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By Nina

We drove up country 1 hour on hard surface, 2.5 hours on dirt road 80% full of pot holes. Our destination Tbaeng Meanchey in Preah Vihear province Carol Cassidy’s ‘studio’ so primitive, dirt floors, endearing weavers, amazing to find such luxurious textiles created ‘from the red earth’. Here over 40 rural artisans, land mine survivors earn a sustainable income under the generous care of Carol’s NGO Weaves of Cambodia.

From the red earth of Preah Vihear, Cambodia, a community of determined land mine survivors is creating a sustainable income through traditional weaving. In 1998 with five women making silk products and now employs over 40 rural artisans who use their artistic skills to earn a sustainable income. “We strive to uphold Fair Trade values by ensuring that all team members are able to enjoy a healthy and safe working environment.” Carol Cassidy.

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Patient Total October 2008

Dear Nina, John, Sue and Wieland,

I have sent you a thank you similar to the attached but just wanted to make sure you did receive it.

The truck is wonderful and has really made a difference to the lives of the children in our direct care and the children in our free school. I took a group of young children to the zoo near Kanchanaburi last week and they loved going in the truck. So much easier to keep the children safe and to manage large numbers.

The truck has even made a couple of late night emergency runs to the hospital in Kanchanaburi.

It is brilliant, Thank you,

Kind regards, Mark
Manager
Children of the Forest Project
Sangkhlaburi
Thailand.

Over the past four months, we have made tremendous progress towards assisting in the recovery from Cyclone Nargis made possible with your generous donations. Although this disaster has faded from the media, the job of rebuilding lives continues to be a challenge.

Along with providing for the most basic needs of simple food, water and temporary shelter, the donated funds have been used for:

• safe shelters for child protection;
• specialty food bars to curb malnutrition;
• critically required antibiotics and other medicines not available in large quantities within the country;
• materials to construct permanent housing; and
• psycho-social support for children and their families.

On August 6th, close to 8,000 lbs of donated medicines and high energy food were successfully air lifted to Yangon from Vancouver with 100% of the goods cleared without interference from government authorities. The value of this shipment exceeded $300,000 CDN.

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Myanmar remains one of the more interesting, least travelled, delightful countries in the world to visit, regardless of its politics. It is easy to travel in Myanmar with much of the money tourists spend going directly to the local people. We would encourage you to consider exploring this fascinating country.

On 15 August 2008, Burmese Travel Agent, William Myatwunna, who has handles our travel arrangements and for several other Vancouver travellers was named one of the world’s 128 Top Travel Specialists by New York based Condé Nast Traveler magazine. William is the managing director of Good News Travels Myanmar.

http://www.myanmargoodnewstravel.com/
goodnewstravels@gmail.com

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How many days were you in the Delta?
Three days

How long getting there?
7 hours by car which is enough to kill you, 7 hours by ferry and 2 hours by my raft with a 40 HP motor. Left at 2 am and got there for dinner. Very difficult trip!!!

What did you see?
50 % of the homes have USAID plastic sheeting on their homes. Lots of homes completely destroyed. Very sad eyes. Lots of children and life moving on as normal. Except the people are having to live on hand outs rather than making a living. They want to get back to making a living. Shortage of, actually a lack of supplies,i.e. have no fishing nets and they desperately need these nets now or they will miss the fishing season!

And in terms of permanent physical damage to the landscape?
I did not see any real physical damage to the landscape. It certainly is very beautiful down there.

What was the state of rebuilding?
Those that can rebuild are rebuilding. Those who cannot are not rebuilding. I don’t think there is any corruption. I met with hundreds of villagers and their only request was for nets so they can start fishing next week when the fishing season starts.

What is mood of the locals?
Very sad. Most have lost so many family members. They feel hopeless because they have to depend on hand outs and can not get on with their life because they lack the tools to earn a living.

Did they look healthy or hungry?
They are fine. Just very depressed and feel hopeless. In your opinion what do you see or sense will be the most difficult issue in the coming months? Post traumatic stress!!! Food shortages!!!

Trust you are well…When will we see you in BKK? I hope to be back down in the Delta in November and December. I truly hope you can help with some fishing nets ASAP. The season is just starting and it is during the next 3 months that the majority of the fish are caught for the year. After meeting with hundreds of villagers it was obvious that this is what is needed more than anything. Your help would be very much appreciated. Thanks, KM