Plan provides US$300,000 for Myanmar relief effort

Area of Myanmar affected by Cyclone Nargis

9 May 2008: Plan has provided US$300,000 for immediate emergency humanitarian and relief operations in Myanmar after a cyclone tore through the country leaving a trail of destruction and a death toll that some put as high as 100,000.

The emergency funds will be used to provide vitally needed medicines and supplies to almost a million children and their families displaced by Cyclone Nargis, including emergency non-food items, such as mosquito nets, shelters, saws, axes, sarongs, and hygiene kits, especially for young girls.

Medical supplies including anti diarrhoea, anti-bacterial, and anti-malarial drugs, as well as saline drips and basic bandaging and dressings will also be distributed.

Almost a week after the cyclone, much of the Irrawaddy Delta, the rice bowl of Myanmar, is underwater and hundreds of thousands of children are still without food, water, clothing or shelter.

High risk of disease

Meanwhile, Plan and other agencies are ready to provide support, but are still awaiting the necessary authorisation to enter the country. With every day the risk of disease increases, as bodies rot, and the contaminated food and water supplies leave the displaced even more vulnerable.

Plan has no active programmes in Myanmar but is ideally placed to offer immediate and expert assistance: Plan has strong programmes in most of Myanmar’s neighbours and highly trained staff poised to intervene the minute permission is granted for aid agencies to enter the country.

Plan already has partners in Myanmar and they are collating information and assessments for our response.

Expertise with children

Plan’s in-depth knowledge and experience from the tsunami will also come into play. Our expertise in working with children and communities in the aftermath of Asia’s biggest disaster will guide our operations as communities start the long road to recovery.

Appeals

Please make a donation to the appeals being run by Plan's fundraising organisations to aid the victims of Cyclone Nargis:

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