Yesterday, the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), along with World Vision as a key member, launched a nationwide appeal to support the 1.2 million people who have been displaced by the quake. Funds raised will go to World Vision Myanmar and other DEC partners have been delivering emergency water, food, shelters and hygiene kits since the quake hit Myanmar last Friday.
Over 200 members of staff at World Vision UK – based in Fox Milne, Milton Keynes - are ramping up fundraising efforts so their colleagues based in Myanmar can scale their emergency relief response and deliver life-saving support to children. World Vision UK sits at the heart of Milton Keynes but is part of a global humanitarian aid partnership which works in nearly 100 countries with over 34,000 members of staff.
In Myanmar, World Vision is providing vital assistance to children like 14-year-old Zu who said "I was so scared I couldn't even scream as I slid from the bathroom to the bottom of the house. The whole house tilted and became dangerous, so now I'm staying with a neighbour. Right now, I really need food and basic supplies.”
Over 3,000 people are now confirmed to have died, with many more injured. Soaring temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius are exacerbating the crisis, with children forced to sleep outside in the heat. The spread of illness and disease is a major concern for aid organisations responding, with access to clean water critically scarce. People in Myanmar were already facing a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 19 million people – over a third of the population - in need of humanitarian assistance. One in four people already did not have enough to eat. Now the situation is even more critical.
Since day one, World Vision’s dedicated staff have been in the most affected communities, supporting children through this challenging time. The organisation has already provided food to over 400 households and distributed hygiene kits along with more than 80,000 bottles of clean water. World Vision plans to reach 500,000 people over the next 6 months in Tada U, Amarapura, Aung Myay Thar Zan, Pyi Gyi Tagon townships in the Mandalay Region, and will put children at the centre of their response.
Over the weekend, all major TV Channels – BBC, ITV, C4, C5, Sky News - will broadcast the DEC Appeal Video that features the aid being delivered by World Vision and other DEC members and will call for the UK public to please help by making a donation.
Fola Komolafe, CEO of World Vision UK, is calling for help from all corners; “If schools, churches or businesses across Milton Keynes would like to support the humanitarian response which sits in the heart of the city, I would encourage you to reach out to find out more about how you can help. Individuals can also make a direct donation – everything right now will help the children in Myanmar”.
To make a donation to the DEC Myanmar Earthquake response please visit Donate to Myanmar Earthquake Appeal | DEC
- £10 could provide urgently needed water to ten families for a day
- £50 could provide emergency food for a family for one month
- £100 could provide essential hygiene supplies for 10 families for 3 months
To find out more about World Vision UK’s work visit our homepage.