Relief Organizations

The following NGOs are in the process of providing relief assistance to the hardest hit areas of Myanmar. I make no recommendations regarding any of the listed NGOs other than noting those that I've personally dealt with in the past:

World Vision:

The government of Myanmar has invited World Vision to provide assistance in the form of zinc sheets, tents, tarpaulins and medicine. The agency is coordinating with authorities to explore an airlift of emergency supplies into the country from one of its global warehouses.

World Vision assessment teams have been deployed to the hardest-hit areas to determine the most urgent needs. The agency is already providing clothing (sarongs and t-shirts) as well as tarpaulins and blankets to 100 households in the capital, along with 10,000 kg of rice and 7,000 liters of water.

World Vision estimates that up to 2 million people may be affected by the cyclone. The organisation has several community development programmes in areas hit by the path of the storm...

Direct Relief:

Direct Relief has contacted partners in Thailand and other neighboring countries, some of whom also run programs in Myanmar, to offer assistance to medical relief efforts for people affected by the storm.

The Myanmar government has yet to issue a formal request for international assistance - historically, the country rarely invites outside groups to provide assistance, even in emergencies...

International Rescue Committee:

The International Rescue Committee is dispatching an emergency team to Myanmar to rapidly assess needs and lay the groundwork for urgent assistance for people made homeless by the weekend's devastating cyclone.

The IRC team will begin to assemble in Yangon Tuesday.

"The communities hit by the cyclone and the government face enormous challenges in responding to a disaster of this scale," says Greg Beck, the IRC's Asia regional director, speaking from Chiang Mai, Thailand. "With our years of emergency experience, we're hopeful that we can help bring critical assistance to the people of Myanmar." ...

American Burma Buddhist Association:

Power was out today including the largest city, Yangon, and drinking water was contaminated in the city of 5 million. The gas price was $5 for a gallon in March and after cyclone the gas price is more than $10 now. People need food, medical supplies, construction equipment, clothes, home and more...

UNICEF:

UNICEF teams will make their initial assessment in Yangon, Pathein and Bago. Supplies such as water purification tablets, food and emergency health kits and shelter materials will be urgently needed.

“UNICEF has pre-stocked supplies in parts of the country and these can be easily mobilized,” Ms Egge said. “Of course, it won’t be enough. The latest figures are so high that we will … bring in additional supplies...

The following mainstream international organizations will most certainly be involved in Myanmar relief efforts, and I suggest keeping apprised of those efforts:

Oxfam International
International Red Cross / Red Crescent

Please check back for further updates.