Charities Blog

Giving Something Back

Myanmar Cyclone Nargis

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myanmaraid.jpgMany have been left homeless and the country is in shambles, the Military Junta run country is facing a catastrophe with them denying entry to most of the aid agencies from the West. Reports are beginning to trickle in that hundreds of thousands are dead and hundreds of thousands are without shelter, safe drinking water and food. The government had not allowed Western aid agencies to enter the most affected areas and reporters from Western news agencies are being told to go out. The government insists they can handle the distribution of aid which they are allowing into the country through aid flights from the US which has offered millions in aid. Many other countries have shown willingness to give aid and send in their aid workers but the government is standing firm and is still not issuing visas to foreign aid people for a proper distribution and mobilization of aid for those who need it most.
The UN has appealed again and again along with many aid agencies from overseas for the government to open air and waterways for aid transportation. The UN has expressed discontent and aid agencies are frustrated for they still could not send in their people to handle the disaster. Reports are trickling in that dead bodies are everywhere, in canals and rice paddies rotting which gives more urgency to the need for proper aid along with people who are better equipped and experienced in handling such situations.
The poor country is in disarray and without proper medical facilities even for a developing country and with little support infrastructure to ferry and distribute aid, many more deaths would surely result in the aftermath of the cyclone. Various aid agencies are now accepting aid and donations in hopes of the border being opened soon to allow foreign aid such as food, water, temporary shelter and many other basic necessities to help the people of Myanmar.

Originally posted on May 4, 2008 @ 7:36 am

Impromptu Charity Groups within Working Hard

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myanmar.jpgPeople of Myanmar are working to help their fellow countrymen in their efforts to help those most affected. Loading their family cars with all the stuff they can spare, they drive into the most affected areas to distribute blankets, bread and other items that the hardest hit areas need. People are expressing frustration at the government’s efforts, taking rotten stores for their warehouses and sending them out to the people with some saying the rice is rotten and the food is not even fit for dogs to eat.
True to this, many are crying out to the rest of the world for the government to allow aid agencies to assist in the relief efforts to alleviate the suffering the already impoverished people are in. Without shelter, they are forced to live in shabby tarpaulin structures that stand no protection form the severe weather that is threatening to hit soon. Aid agencies such as the UN, Doctors without Borders and many others are still out due to the government not granting visas to their personnel for them to properly enter the country. Aid workers in neighboring countries have walked through the border and are getting to the people but their small numbers is not sufficient to cover the wide area that was left devastated by the cyclone. The US has succeeded to convince the government to allow them to fly in supplies with two flights of aid into the capital. They are requesting for more flights and the US military has also expressed frustration at them not being allowed to enter territorial waters. The US fleet is in Thailand and they have the equipment to process water making it safe for drinking to avoid a possible outbreak of deadly disease.
The government insists they can handle the distribution effort but they are only doing so in areas near the capital and to the families of their soldiers who have not been too severely impacted by the storm. The people in rural areas are the ones who are at risk and without proper sanitation equipment and supplies the rotting bodies if left out in the open, would cause more deaths in the months to come.

Originally posted on May 7, 2008 @ 7:38 am