World Vision Asia-Pacific Communications

When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar one year ago it left 138,000 people dead or missing, ripped up homes, killed thousands of farm animals, devastated mile upon mile of rice fields and left 2.4 million people without food, shelter, schools or loved ones.

In the year since, hundreds of World Vision staff have been hard at work bringing emergency aid to farmers, helping distraught and distressed children overcome their fears, providing food to more than 300,000 survivors and restored drinking water to village after village.

Cyclone Nargis roared in from the Indian Ocean and across Myanmar’s low-lying Delta area and the capital Yangon on May 2-3, 2008. It was the most cataclysmic disaster to have ever hit the country and it left a swathe of devastation across an area almost twice the size of Lebanon.

Within hours World Vision staff were responding to needs in Yangon. Within days relief was pouring into the Delta area. World Vision’s international funding operation also swung into gear raising tens of millions of dollars and sending dozens of aid flights into Yangon.

Children were central to the agency’s programmes. More than 100 special centres were created to give youngsters a safe place to play away from the chaos and losses and where they could regain their childhoods and a sense of peace. In all, the programme catered to the needs of 17,000 children.

Mia Marina, Emergency Response Support Manager, said: “These special places have played a critical role in the lives of children. Many communities have told us how much they value the special attention being paid to their youngsters. Not only did they give children a place of their own in which to play, meet friends and recover a sense of normalcy but they also allowed parents to get on with rebuilding their lives knowing their children were being cared for.”

Getting food to those in most need was also critical. By sending in food aid directly and by working in partnership with the World Food Programme World Vision distributed food aid to more than 300,000. Basic food rations included rice, pulses, oil, and salt.

Thousands of farmers were also helped to get back on their feet. World Vision gave hand tractors, threshing machines and tools to communities to share, while hundreds of fishermen were provided boats, nets, or lines.

With the USD 14 million emergency phase over World Vision is now focusing on helping villagers to survive on their own. Farmers are now waiting to see if this year’s monsoon rains will bring a return to pre-Cyclone harvest levels. Over the coming months World Vision will be focusing on spending USD 18 million helping hard-hit communities move into long-term recovery. Livestock assistance, agricultural training and seeds and tools will be given; more water sources will be rehabilitated, hygiene training will be carried out; communities will learn how to better protect their children and non-formal education classes will help vulnerable children; and villagers will learn about how to better protect their communities from future disasters.