Senior ShelterBox Emergency Coordinator on the crisis in Myanmar
What insight have you gained from being in Bangkok?
That the process for importing material aid into Myanmar has its challenges. There are few organisations set up to do it, and those that are don’t necessarily have the capacity or experience to cover large volumes. We are working with Rotary colleagues and partners to overcome this, and we are exploring all avenues. It appears that most organisations here are in a similar position and there is a great deal of collaboration, and information sharing taking place to enable all actors to implement projects.
What are you hearing from conversations you've had with people in Myanmar about the scale of destruction?
Colleagues who have managed to access the affected areas are reporting widespread damage with people living in large groups under makeshift tarpaulin structures. They’re essentially sleeping in the open, either because their homes are completely destroyed, or they are fearful of aftershocks collapsing their homes on top of them. Living in these types of makeshift shelters long-term brings significant risks, particularly to women and girls, and there is an urgency to get people into better shelters with their families as quickly as possible.
What are you hearing about need? What do people need most and how will it help?
Food, water and shelter are the top three priorities. The rainy season is about to begin and there has been significant rainfall already that people have no protection from. As well as protection from the weather, providing shelter and household items will help prevent the spread of disease that we often see after large scale disasters.
What are the next steps?
We have a better understanding of what people need, but where we might work, and the type of damage sustained there will help guide what type of shelter we will focus on. We’re exploring options for a small ShelterBox team to travel to Myanmar to make sure we get the best information we can to make those decisions.
Any comment on challenges to help people better understand why responses to conflict areas take time? And why it's important we do things right?
ShelterBox will respond to need wherever it exists. We understand that affected populations are living in areas controlled by both the ‘State Administration Council’ SAC and the National Unity Government (Government in exile) and as such we are investigating ways in which we can gain access to people who are most vulnerable. This is not straightforward and requires careful consideration as well as permissions from authorities for our partners to work in areas of conflict. At the moment, there is a ceasefire in place in the affected region. It is unknown how long this will hold.
