Hi John and Nina,
Good to hear from you again.
The situation here is mixed.
We were lucky to be able to move 200 staff and 9 international staff [10 days ago] to the delta. We can reach > 200,000 people but can’t cover the whole area.
Most organizations are extremely slow. So as a result there are still many people without help and that is a shame.
Our trip is the first visit for them (villagers) to get donations from people. But Pwyal Tan villages had received the donations before because that village is located beside the river so it is easy to go there, not so for the rest of the 3 villages…The other three we visited are difficult to due to the narrow stream and when tide is low it is not possible to even go to those villages (Aung Hlaing village, Nyi Naung Gyi and Nyi Naung Lay village).
Current their situation is, next day of after storm (storm was on 2-5-08) most of villagers moved to Mawlamyaingkyun (MLMG town) to get food and stay. They stayed to the Monastery, hoped and waited for food and clothes to come. But I think Sayataw (presiding monk) and the people from Mawlamyaingkyun just couldn’t provide enough foods. So some people went to a teashop, got food and then didn’t pay the cost so run away.
Dear Friends,
RE: Balloons over Bagan/ Malikha Lodge (BOB/ML) Cyclone Relief donations
I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and provide a short update. Thanks to all for your generosity together with Friends of the Rainforest Myanmar (FORM) we have raised over USD $20,000 so far. From this amount Balloons over Bagan and Malikha Lodge has spent approx USD 2500 in local currency in purchasing supplies and arranging their safe passage down to the delta area. Our efforts and your donations have been divided as follows:
1) Two of our managers with specific skills have been provided on a full time basis for the next 3 months to Save the Children UK. Our financial controller from Putao is assisting with stock and inventory at the company warehouse in Yangon for international aid arriving by air. Our Operations Manager and crew chief from Bagan has received specialist training to lead and crew a specially imported relief supply boat to more remote areas. This boat will operate from one of the famous Pandaw boats which has been generously given over to the relief effort as a floating hospital come forward logistics hub.
Locals Raise Disaster Relief Funds for Myanmar Survivors CW ASIA FUND sets sights on $1Million for cyclone victims and seeks Canadian Government matching funds Vancouver, BC, May 22, 2008.
As Myanmar continues a three day mourning period, CW Asia Fund, made up of a small group of local Vancouver and Calgary volunteers, continues its efforts to raise $1 million (CDN) for emergency aid in response to the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis. In ten days, CW Asia Fund raised over $585,000 (CDN) and hopes to reach its goal by the end of next week, with the expectation that the Canadian Government will step in to match funds raised.
It is estimated that 1.5 million people have been affected by Cyclone Nargis and up to 300,000 killed, including 120,000 children. The estimated death toll now exceeds that of the 2004 Tsunami. The flooding has stopped in Myanmar, but the health risks continue to escalate and the death toll keeps climbing. The immensity of this human tragedy is verging on the unspeakable, said Dr. John Cassils, co-founder of CW Asia Fund:
The cyclone hit Yangon hard; almost all trees were damaged or uprooted. Concrete poles carrying telephone and electricity lines broke, leading to large parts of the city being cut of from electricity and telephone services. Access to water was also difficult as there was no electricity for the pumps. But Yangon city is returning back to normal as the trees and debris was cleared off the streets. Electricity and telephone lines are being repaired and people are receiving water.
Things are still very difficult in the outskirts of Yangon and in the Irrawaddy Division. As you well know, foreign aid workers are not allowed into the Delta region. They are turned back at the first check-point. International news focuses on the aid workers not allowed into the country, but there are several international aid workers in Yangon. Most of them already had visas before Nargis. Others managed to receive visas from Embassies other than the one in Bangkok. They are working hard to organize aid shipments and are cooperating with local organizations to get the aid to the people.
Dear John & Nina,
You should know a few things:
<0l>
Love,
Dear Everyone,
I am so happy that I am here in Yangon, better than watching on TV. It has been an incredible 24 hours. Things are going very smoothly and very quickly. It ‘s like my ideas or dreams are just happening. How weird.
I came to help out a friend and a group of senior businessmen from Yangon. They have been assigned one of the hardest hit areas. So far the cooperation from the government has been exceptional. In addition, his group is working closely with Save the children, the British Government and several other NGOs. I spent most of the day today at the airport walking around like I owned the airport. We had 3 cargo planes arrive today bringingin supplies. This included 14 boats and motors which I believe are crucial to the operation. (My dream/prayer). Certainly 14 boats will not be enough. However, they will certainly make all of the difference in the world.
After unloading the flat bottom boats, I spent the rest if the day working with about 10 foreigners who are here with the British Government doing disaster relief and they are certainly a most interesting group. Two of the men ( one has a son in Vancouver ) are here to train the Burmese to operate the boats over the next few days and before the end of the week these boats will be bring supplies into the deep south and bringing back those who are badly injured.
The group also has a floating boat (cruise ship) which is on its way to the assigned area and will be used as a hospital. In addition, in a more remote area where the causalities are very high they have sent today a prefabricated building that will be used as a clinic to treat the injured. This will be operational by the end of this week and will make a tremendous difference. These two medical facilities are being operated by 3 medical groups and they are currently desperate for so many medical supplies. I just trust that tomorrow some help will walk in the door or come through the internet.
Today arrived 30,000 plastic sheets which (which this group hopes to recieve 7,000) can be used as roofs for the hundreds of thousand of people who are homeless. There are more planes coming tonight and it is amazing how many people are coming forward to assist. The command centre here has been non stop with people coming in offering to help. It is like blessings keep coming through the door.
The situation in the far south is far worse then anyone could ever imagine or explain. Transportation is a nightmare, there is a shortage of gasoline, the people have absolutely nothing and I am afraid the worst is yet to come. It is going to get unbelievably worst. Please pray for all of those who are truly suffering.
From: Foreign NGO worker based in Yangon
Hi,
I was doing logistics stuff last week, but we now have a team of REAL loggies here and they have taken over. My understanding is that ALL our supplies have been received and we have not had anything seized, though I think there may have been a scuffle in the airport I’m not sure it involved us. I heard a similar story about another org. There was one shipment originally consigned to us without notification by an outside org and they did not notify us, but it worked out and we got the goods.
So….the long and short of it is no problems so far. But we are also buying whatever we can here to avoid the issue of the airport, so trying to minimize clearance. I can’t speak for other orgs, but I have not heard of anything major. It seems to be mostly the UN having trouble.
“As the recent apocalyptic Myanmar (Burma) hurricane unfolded before our eyes on hundreds of millions of screens, the world watched with impotence. The numbers of those killed in the swath were staggering: over 100,000 (the real number may never be known); over 1.5 million people homeless, without food, shelter, water or medicine. Living in our relative security, try to imagine what it must be like trying to survive such conditions even for a week!
Fortunately, we’ve joined up with Nina & John Cassils, and their very worthy and credible non-profit Myanmar Relief effort. John and Nina have been heroes on this side of the world, selflessly working 20 hour days raising awareness and funds, and making sure that all relief gets to the people in the worst affected areas. Nature’s Path is having the honour of contributing several pallet loads of energy bars that will make a difference between life and death for many families. I heartily urge all who can help with food, medicine, water purification equipment and funds, to support legitimate Myanmar Relief, where every day, every hour counts.”
Arran & Ratana Stephens
Nature’s Path Foods Inc.
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