Expanded CWS Emergency Appeal: Myanmar (Burma) Flood Response


September 3, 2013

Appeal #700-K
Original Appeal Goal: $30,000
Expanded Appeal Goal: $670,242

Situation:

As noted in an Aug. 13, 2013, situation report, continuous monsoon rains in recent weeks have caused flash floods in many areas of Myanmar (Burma), most seriously affecting the southeast part of the country.

At least 73,300 affected persons have been living in displacement camps; thousands of acres of farmland have been destroyed. Because of that and the loss of farm animals, affected communities are experiencing a serious erosion of their income.

While some of the camps have been slowly closing, a significant percentage of the displaced population cannot return home as either their houses had been damaged or flooded areas are still isolated and “marooned.”

Based on assessments by CWS and other members of the ACT Alliance, an immediate concern is the threat posed by widespread damage to the affected rice crop. That is already having an impact over food security – a community’s ability to access food. In addition, water sources have been contaminated, exposing affected communities to the risk of water-borne diseases.

CWS Response:

As reported in the initial Aug. 20 appeal, CWS and partner agencies have conducted rapid assessments in affected areas. Those preliminary assessments prompted an initial response of assistance to 800 households in the township of Pha Ann. Assistance included food items — rice, cooking oil and beans.

Now, the focus turns to a wider effort – alleviating food problems for 2,900 households in flood-affected areas in Kyar In Sein Gyi Township in the state of Kayin and Bilin Township of Mon State.

The CWS project will provide both early recovery and livelihood restoration for the affected population; this will take place alongside emergency relief, though emergency food aid will only be provided for those villages that lost their access to the market in one of the worst affected areas of Kyar In Sein Gyi Township.

As many of the affected farmers lost their opportunity to cultivate this year’s crop, it is important that farmers be able to plant crops in October and November of this year; this will require a quick infusion of cash to hire laborers to level fields for later planting and cultivation. After fields are ready, fertilizers will be provided to farmers in the coming dry season.

Other details of the CWS response:

  • Forty villages in Kyar In Sein Gyi Township in Kayin State will be targeted for all components of emergency food aid, farm recovery and cash for work.
  • In Bilin Township of Mon State, 18 villages will be targeted for farm recovery. The farm recovery component will include providing rice/sesame seeds, fertilizers and power tillers / water pumps. This is calculated at two acres of farmland per farmer.
  • For the cash-for-work project, $2,000 will be provided for one village — about $40 per household for restoration of critical infrastructure (e.g. village wells, pumps, roads). As a reference, $40 per household will allow 66.67 kg of rice to be purchased, which should be enough for 48 days for one family of five members.

Budget of Expanded Appeal:

The total amount of the appeal is $670,242, which includes: $619,160 in direct costs, such as emergency food aid, seeds and fertilizer.

How to Help:

Contributions to support CWS emergency response efforts may be made online, sent to your denomination or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515

Church World Service is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of churches and agencies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and advocacy.