IDE RESPONDS TO MYANMAR CYCLONE
May 19, 2008
IDE has been active in Myanmar for four-and-a-half years. We have permission to work in all of the townships most heavily damaged by cyclone Nargis and have existing relationships with local officials in nearly every area. We have over 125 field staff in place and are able to operate relatively freely – without government interference - in the affected areas.
IDE has targeted 11 affected township areas. About 125 staff in 27 teams have been mobilized to work in these areas. IDE is providing emergency relief and preparing for a rapid agriculture recovery phase.
Our teams are providing emergency relief to thousands of survivors.
- water and sanitation
- shelter
- food and basic necessities
We are also preparing to provide rapid agricultural recovery assistance so that farmers can plant rice and other crops in the coming season.
WATER AND SANITATION
IDE's first response to cyclone Nargis survivors is to provide clean water supplies for large groups of homeless men, women, and children now gathered in temporary encampments, Buddhist monasteries and schools in the worst affected areas of the Irrawaddy Delta. Lakes and ponds are the most common drinking water sources in these coastal areas with saline groundwater. Serious outbreaks of dysentery (and possibly cholera) have already been reported from these areas where surface water is now contaminated with decomposing humans and animals. To reach large groups in the shortest possible time, IDE is using its "Water Basket" in conjunction with WaterGuard rapid chlorination and IDE treadle pumps. The Water Basket is an inexpensive, highly portable and simple 200-gallon (757 litre) container made from locally-available plastic tarp material. A single filling of one WaterBasket provides the minimum daily water requirement for at least 250 people.
Our teams are currently setting up over 100 WaterBasket systems per day reaching up to 25,000 people. Each installed WaterBasket system typically costs US$ 23 (tank + treatment + treadle pump).
SHELTER
IDE is providing temporary shelter materials to the large numbers of families still residing in villages whose homes were destroyed during the cyclone. In the target areas, anywhere from 20 to 95 per cent of homes were destroyed. Traditional natural building materials such as palm fronds woven into thatch for roofs and siding are not available during this time of the year, so rural households do not have materials for basic protection. IDE is providing plastic sheeting so roofs can be constructed using locally available bamboo poles. The plastic tarp material is procured locally in Yangon.
We are currently providing shelter for 25,000 people each day.
FOOD AND BASIC NECESSITIES
IDE is also providing food and basic necessities for groups of homeless men, women, and children now gathered in temporary village encampments, Buddhist monasteries, and schools in the worst affected areas of the Irrawaddy Delta. This is being done through cash transfers of between USD5 and USD15 per family. Most monasteries have well-managed distribution systems for food and cash that are targeted and fully transparent. These can be done without any government interference. Families use the cash to purchase rice, cooking oil, salt, medicines, pots and pans, blankets and other basic necessities.
We piloted this cash transfer approach during the immediate days following the cyclone and are now using it in with all of our 27 teams. We are currently trying to reach over 10,000 families a week with this type of assistance.
AGRICULTURAL RECOVERY
Beginning in late May, millions of farmers across the Irrawaddy Delta will require assistance with seeds, fertilizer, irrigation pumps and other agricultural inputs. IDE is well positioned to provide such assistance. We have worked closely with the Ministry of Agriculture and impacted over 25,000 farm families in 105 townships over the past five years. We are now proposing to assist a total of 25,000 small-plot farm families in the Irrawaddy Delta during the next 125 days.
Click here to support IDE's relief effort in Myanmar
BE SURE TO WRITE "MYANMAR RELIEF" IN THE COMMENTS SECTION
Or, send a cheque to IDE Canada, 830 King Edward St. Winnipeg, MB. R3H 0P5 with the note "MYANMAR RELIEF"