At the end of March, a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar, causing extensive destruction and deepening the humanitarian crisis in many regions. Fida’s emergency appeal drew widespread attention, enabling more humanitarian aid.
In many areas of Myanmar, people are still living in fear and in extremely difficult conditions. Aftershocks have continued to this day. More than 40,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and many families are still sleeping outdoors, afraid to return to their homes.
Just a week after the earthquake, Myanmar was hit by an exceptionally hot season followed by heavy rains, further worsening the plight of already vulnerable communities.
– In addition to emergency aid such as food and shelter, psychosocial support and mental health services are now urgently needed in these communities, says Thuya, a Fida staff member in Myanmar.
Families struggle with rising prices
Fida’s Myanmar team and its local church partner responded quickly, delivering drinking water to affected villages in the Taungoo region of Bago. Since then, the project team has continued its work by visiting villages, assessing the situation, and discussing urgent needs with local communities.
A community consultation meeting was also held in the Taungoo region, where leaders from Muslim, Buddhist and Christian communities shared their perspectives. The aim was to identify the most vulnerable families and coordinate aid efforts with local organisations operating in the area.
The team also visited three villages in the Yangon region, meeting village leaders and residents and sharing information about upcoming humanitarian support.
– In these villages, families are struggling with rising prices. Many are worried whether their food supplies will last through the year. That’s why most families have requested food aid. Cash assistance is also in high demand, as job opportunities in the area are very limited, Thuya explains.
Food distribution and cash support
During the spring, generous donations from people in Finland have supported Fida’s emergency appeal. In April, Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs granted Fida €400,000 for humanitarian work in Myanmar.
Thuya confirms that large-scale food distributions and cash assistance will begin in June in the regions of Kachin, Yangon and Bago.
