Alliance2015 in Myanmar

Almost four weeks after cyclone Nargis swept over Myanmar, official figures estimate that more than 130,000 are dead or missing with the death toll still rising. An estimated 2.4 million survivors are struggling in the capital Yangon and the severely affected Irrawaddy Delta. The cyclone is the worst storm to hit Asia since 1991.

Alliance2015 is once again taking advantage of its large infrastructure (together, the six Alliance members are active in 81 countries). While Concern took the lead last year in Bangladesh, after the devastating cyclone Sidr, Welthungerhilfe and CESVI are now the main Alliance actors in this emergency.

Welthungerhilfe, in the country since 2002,is able to work out of Yangon. They can send local staff, that can pass by government checkpoints without problems, into the Irrawaddy Delta. Fundraising is not easy in Germany, partly due to media coverage focusing on foreign staff and help not getting through.  

CESVI, who has worked in the country since 2001, is now distributing UN food rations. The Italian Alliance member has helped and hosted Concern and PIN staff coming into the country. Concern (ca. 300,000 Euro) and PIN (ca. 50,000 Euro) now financially support the CESVI programme that focuses on food and basic items. Concern has joined CESVI with two staff members and four more are scheduled to arrive soon.  

People in Need have some staff in the country. Fundraising in the CzechRepublic has improved after PIN was able to communicate that they have a coordinator in Myanmar and it is possible to work. PIN plans to contribute to some components of the above mentioned CESVI project. The organisation is going to send expatriates as a secondment to CESVI. At the same time, the PIN staff will be responsible for some own PIN activities.