Burma Cyclone: aid reaches the furthest corner of the cyclone zone
A team from Save the Children has reached the western most tip of Burma's Irrawaddy delta, bringing aid to some of the people hardest hit by Cyclone Nargis.
Tuesday 20 May 2008
The team, formed of Burmese Save the Children humanitarian workers, brought vital relief supplies by boat including food, bottled water, plastic sheeting for shelter and mosquito nets.
Now returned to the former capital Yangon, the aid workers have been describing the harrowing scenes they experienced. One said, "We saw at first hand the devastation the cyclone had caused. In some places it seemed entire villages had disappeared. We met many people including children who desperately needed help. It made me more determined to go back and bring them more aid."
The teams work highlights the extraordinary efforts made by Burmese aid teams since the catastrophic cyclone. Though foreign nationals have been restricted to Yangon, the Burmese relief workers have been bringing lifesaving aid to the delta region. Save the Children has reached 160,000 people.
Jasmine Whitbread, CEO of Save the Children UK, has just returned from Burma where she visited some of the areas affected by the cyclone. She said, "There is no doubt that some of the unsung heroes in this disaster are the Burmese people who have been bringing vital relief to tens of thousands of people. Save the Children's teams of Burmese aid workers are an inspiration to all of us. There are still hundreds of thousands of people who have not received any help and our teams are stepping up their efforts to reach them. We have to get people the aid they need before it is too late."
Ends
Notes to Editors
- To arrange an interview with Jasmine Whitbread who has just returned from Burma, please contact:
- Save the Children in London on +44 7831 650 409 or +44 20 7012 6841 - For Save the Children footage from Myanmar and photography please contact:
- Save the Children in London on +44 7831 650 409 or +44 20 7012 6841
