Vision Statement: Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Appeal

On 2 and 3 May 2008 Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar, sweeping through the Irrawaddy delta region and the country’s largest city, Yangon. Five states and divisions have been declared a disaster zone.

Death toll figures continue to be revised upwards however on 19 May at least 134,000 people are reckoned to be either dead or missing. In the last 50 years, only two Asian cyclones have exceeded the human toll of Nargis - a 1970 storm that killed 500,000 people in neighbouring Bangladesh and another that killed 143,000 people in 1991, also in Bangladesh.

The Vision
To address the immediate crisis and recovery needs of people in Myanmar (Burma) affected by Cyclone Nargis, especially the most vulnerable. They will be helped to rebuild their lives in safer more resilient communities that are better able to withstand future disasters.

Programme Priorities
Money raised by the Disasters Emergency Committee does not go to Government bodies. With a large number of Member Agencies already present in the country, or working through established partners, Member Agencies will purchase the goods they need locally whilst organising further substantial shipments from outside Myanmar.

Immediate priority will be given to saving lives through providing support to meet the basic needs of the people:

  • Provision of immediate relief to in terms of shelter, food, basic household items and hygiene supplies.
  • Water and sanitation – to improve access to affected households of sufficient safe, potable water for drinking cooking domestic and personal hygiene
  • Essential medical supplies to contribute towards the reduction of the incidence of waterborne disease.
  • Cash grants to enable affected families to purchase their own needs locally.
  • Provision of safe spaces for children and family tracing

Recovery phase: to engage in the work of rehabilitation and recovery of people’s livelihood in the affected areas.

  • Secure the livelihoods of the affected communities in Myanmar [Burma]
  • Contribute to the rebuilding of the infrastructure especially of transitional housing, schools and health centres

Underpinning activities:

  • Mainstream disaster risk reduction for future development programmes
  • Build the capacity of the communities and civil society organisations

Timescale
In accordance with usual Disasters Emergency Committee funding timescales, the response period will be nine months for the initial phase followed by a further nine months if sufficient funds and the Government of Myanmar (Burma) permit. At the end of May the appeal stood at over £11 million of which £8 million is the responsibility of the DEC Secretariat whilst the balance has been donated directly to Member Agencies.

Any donations received after the 31 December 2008 will go into our next appeal fund, as the Myanmar Appeal fund will have been allocated to the Members.