Myanmar Earthquake: How DEC charities are helping

On 28 March 2025, a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, devastating communities already in crisis. Even before the Myanmar earthquake, one-third of the country’s population, nearly 20 million people, were in need of humanitarian aid. 

Six months on from the disaster the humanitarian needs remain huge, with widespread destruction still affecting cities, towns and villages. However, donations from the generous UK public are making a difference every day to people rebuilding their lives.

Below are examples of how donations are making a difference to people affected by the earthquake in Myanmar.

Multipurpose cash

A key part of every DEC response is the distribution of cash payments or vouchers. They allow people to spend money quickly making their own decisions about what their biggest needs are, giving people flexibility in their spending and helping to regain a sense of independence.

During the first three months of the DEC funded response over 105,000 people received cash or vouchers to help buy whatever they need, whether it’s supplies to repair their homes, medical expenses or goods from the local markets.

Before the earthquake in Myanmar, Aung worked as a farmer while his wife ran a local grocery store, building their lives on a foundation of hard work. Within one afternoon, their lives changed when their home was destroyed.

“The covers did not protect us fully from rain,” Aung recalls. “Whenever it rained heavily, I moved my injured wife somewhere dry. For a month and a half, we had to struggle a lot.”

Aung and his family received cash support from DEC charity World Vision, thanks to donations from the Myanmar Earthquake Appeal. World Vision, together with their local partners, provides cash assistance to families living in the Mandalay region, many of whom were heavily affected by the earthquake.

“This cash support was not only a great help to me, but also to my neighbours whose houses were destroyed or damaged,” he says. “They, too, felt joyful to receive assistance when they needed it most. Some spent the cash on food and household expenses since they had to stop working.”

Rebuilding communities

The picturesque villages and towns surrounding Inle Lake were devastated when the earthquake hit. Bamboo homes and businesses were wiped out, and the delicate ecosystem around the lake was badly damaged. DEC charities and their local partners are working alongside Inle Lake’s communities, to rebuild and recover in a sustainable way.  

Rebuilding is done using new sustainable building practices and innovative building materials, paid for with DEC funded cash assistance, that are helping to improve living conditions for families around the lake.

DEC charity Age International has been providing cash assistance to older people in the Inle Lake region, as well as psychosocial support to help them process what they have been through. Daw Than Yin, 69, lives with her daughter in a village by the lake. Their house was damaged when the earthquake happened, and they had to borrow money to pay for the repairs.

“I was struggling to repay the loan I took for fixing the house. Thanks to this cash, I was able to pay back all the debts. I feel so thankful” 

 - Daw Than Yin

Healthcare services

Access to essential medicine and health support in some of the areas impacted by the earthquake can be difficult to reach. Monsoon season only makes things harder, as rural areas are cut off by the rain, and waterborne diseases spread. 

DEC charity International Rescue Committee has been running mobile health clinics, reaching people who might otherwise not be able to access standard healthcare services.

Since the earthquake, Daw Win Kyi has been feeling dizziness she did not feel before. Being over 70, it is not easy to travel miles to a pharmacy, which is located in a nearby town. Thanks to the clinic, Daw Win Kyi was treated by a mobile health team, where she received medication for high blood pressure. 

In Myanmar over half of communities do not have  access to mental health and psychosocial support services. Following a disaster of this scale, the situation is now critical, and DEC charities are working to help the many people in need of support.

Doctor Thura Nyi Nyi from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) works in earthquake affected areas:

“There are those grieving profound losses—children who lost parents, parents who lost children. Mental health support has become an essential component of our care. Nearly every survivor experiences some psychological impact, which inevitably affects physical health too.”

How to help people in Myanmar

The DEC Myanmar Earthquake Appeal is open for donations. DEC charities are on the ground providing humanitarian aid, supporting affected communities and working hard to access remote areas. They urgently need more funds to scale up their work and reach the most vulnerable.