07 October 2008

Salvation Army officers and personnel from Myanmar (Burma) are working alongside international deployees to help people affected by Cyclone Nargis. Salvation Army teams are providing food and other necessities as well as materials to rebuild houses.

Early in May 2008, Cyclone Nargis swept across the southern part of Myanmar, causing destruction and major loss of life. Since then The Salvation Army, along with other non-governmental organisation (NGO) groups and agencies, has been assisting those badly affected by the devastation caused by the cyclone.

The committed and dedicated response of Salvationists in the area has meant that a continual programme of feeding and support has been ongoing since straight after the cyclone struck. Plans are in place for this food distribution to continue until the end of 2008. By then, more than seven months' support will have been provided for at least 26 villages and communities in the regions surrounding Yangon, in the south of Myanmar. At least 25,000 people have been provided with food and survival equipment to help them live in difficult circumstances caused by the cyclone.

In addition to this, The Salvation Army is assisting in five different locations by providing materials for the repair and reconstruction of houses for families. When the schemes currently under way are completed, more than 1,000 homes will have been rebuilt or repaired, meaning that well over 5,000 people will have been provided with safe housing and shelter. At the time of writing, work has already been completed on more than 300 homes.

 

 

Community members carry house-building materials

A happy Myanmar villager outside her new home

The response in Myanmar has meant a significant commitment of both personnel and finance, with in excess of US$1,000,000 having been spent or committed.

Major Mike Caffull, Field Operations Officer for International Emergency Services, has been to Myanmar and seen for himself the scale of the devastation and also the difference made by Salvation Army teams. He says: 'It has been a privilege to work with the highly committed Salvationists and officers of the Myanmar Region. In addition to the normal service they give for their work, these people have given of themselves continually in support of their fellow country-people in order to bring relief and some hope after the difficulties they have been facing.'

The work continues and much more needs to be done before life can return to some semblance of order. The international Salvation Army has responded magnificently by supplying funds and, in some cases, personnel to support their colleagues in Myanmar but team members in the country know they have only scratched the surface of meeting people's needs.

The problems continue and support is still required in order to carry on the successful work of past months. Further funds are being sought so the programme can continue as long as it is needed. 

 

 

 

Tags: News