IDE RESPONDS TO MYANMAR CYCLONE
July 22, 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.
IMMEDIATE RELIEF
Our teams have provided emergency relief to thousands of survivors, with a focus on clean water, shelter and food.
By the end of June, IDE relief teams had provided:
- over 4,000 WaterBaskets and disinfection kits, providing clean water to over 400,000 people
- emergency shelter to more than 60,000 families
- food and basic necessities in 572 villages
RAPID AGRICULTURAL RECOVERY
IDE is now focusing its efforts on rapid agricultural recovery. Thousands of farmers in this rice-producing area lost cattle (their means of plowing and tilling) and rice seed. IDE Myanmar is now working against the clock to help 45,000 farmers get their rice planted by August.
Our teams are providing the following items to assist these farmers:
- rice seed
- fertilizer
- diesel-powered tillers and the diesel to run them
We are working with local businesses to source and distribute these items so that the local economy can be built up at the same time as we provide relief to farmers.
$200 will help one farm family to harvest a rice crop this season.
CASH CROP RECOVERY
Many farmers depend on post-monsoon crops like vegetables and legumes for their livelihood. While their rice crop will provide staple food, these other crops are the mainstay of their incomes - vital for purchasing clothes, medicine and other necessities. We will be working with farmers in the Irrawaddy Delta to help them re-start their cash crop production, provide for their families and boost the local economy.
We will provide more details on the cash crop recovery phase in the coming weeks.
THANK YOU
We want to thank you for your generous support. To-date, Canadian supporters have raised over $32,000 for the relief effort. This generosity has been augmented by a $40,000 contribution from the Government of Manitoba.
Myanmar faces a long road to recovery. We invite you to consider partnership in that process - through involvement with the agriculture and cash crop recovery initiatives. A $200 donation will help one farm family get back on their feet.
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"