Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Myanmar Cyclone Victims: How to Help

Cyclone Nargis has inundated Burma's densely populated rice-growing Irrawaddy Delta, destroying entire towns and villages. Tens of thousands of people have been killed by the storm and as many as a million survivors are homeless. The storm has also destroyed infrastructure in Burma's largest city, Rangoon, its "satellite towns" and other areas. This disaster has been compounded by the regime's deliberate delay of international emergency assistance.


Myanmar Cyclone Appeal AG from leonalim on Vimeo.
Souce: Leonalim

Last weekend, we in our church also raise fund for this country during our service. We get our people to donate so that relief works can be carried out in this country. Aids can be in form of cash or kinds such as medicines, food, blankets, beds, etc. The little that we give can make a whole different to the people there. we are chanelling the fund to the WAGRA (World AG Relief Agency).
You too may help by donate securely online at http://www.agrelief.org/donate.cfm to make a donation with your credit card.
Alternatively, you can also donate to World Vision Malaysia. They have people in Myanmar who are doing relief work and you can visit their website for more information.

I received an e-mail from one of my friend whom have travelled extensively across Asia in particular Indo-China. She has ask for help so that aids can pour in to this Junta rules country. Below is her email.

Dear friends,

As the world is now aware, Cyclone Nargis has inundated Burma's densely populated Irrawaddy Delta, destroying entire towns and villages. Tens of thousands of people have been killed by the storm and as many as a million survivors are homeless. The storm has also destroyed infrastructure in Burma's largest city, Rangoon, its "satellite towns"
and other areas. Emergency shortages of drinking water, food and shelter are being suffered and there is an imminent danger of diseases such as cholera. This disaster has been compounded by the regime's deliberate delay of international emergency assistance. Burma's deforestation also made the cyclone's damage worse. The cyclone will have long-ranging effects, as the Delta area was Burma's primary rice growing region.

Links for ongoing information and disaster relief donations are below.
The groups listed appreciate and will make good use of any contribution, even very small amounts. As one way to deal personally with this immense human tragedy, I recommend organizing a small benefit event such as a concert, reading, art sale, dinner or film show, inviting your own friends, family, co-workers, neighborhood or community and sending the proceeds to a relief aid group. Children often have excellent ideas for such events.

I personally was in the cyclone which took 139,000 lives in Bangladesh in 1991, and I know how extremely important a concerted, well-organized, and well-funded ongoing relief effort is for survival and recovery in such an enormous disaster situation. Even though these are hard economic times everywhere, I hope that you will consider making some contribution to the relief effort, either on your own or by making others aware of the effective donation options available.

best wishes,
Edith Mirante
Project Maje
www.projectmaje.org


DONATIONS for disaster relief can be made via these organizations:

Medecins Sans Frontiers (already distributing emergency aid in affected areas)
http://www.msf.org/

Medical Emergency Relief International (already bringing aid to the Delta)
http://www.merlin.org.uk/

Thirst-Aid (water purification is an urgent priority)
http://www.thirst-aid.org/Poster.html

Avaaz.org (special fund via Burma's Buddhist monks) https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/

MercyCorps (experienced disaster relief experts with local partners) http://www.mercycorps.org/

For constantly updated information, see these news sources:

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/asia_pacific/2008/burma_cyclone

The Irrawaddy
http://www.irrawaddy.org/

Mizzima News
http://www.mizzima.com/

US Campaign for Burma (also accepting disaster relief donations) http://uscampaignforburma.org/
Act now to save life!

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