This past week WWM has been able to send food, clothing, medical supplies and funds into Burma and the Mae Sot area to help feed, clothe and educate the children of Burmese migrant workers and survivors of Cyclone Nagis.
The management of Regent Park, Naklua, provided a house to use as a collection point for all of the food and clothing items over a period of one month and DHL Logistics provided a truck and staff to load and deliver the items to Mae Sot.
Arriving into Mae Sot around 7:30am on Sunday 13 July the truck was greeted by the children and director of Hsa Thoo Lei Orphanage and Learning Centre, home to 210 orphaned Burmese/Karen children and children of Internally Displaced People (IDP). Within three hours the two truck drivers and children had unloaded the large truck and separated the items for ease of distribution. Within an hour of the truck being unloaded, a local volunteer organisation was able to take the boxes of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing for distribution to survivors of Cyclone Nagis.
The remainder of the food and clothing items were distributed between Hsa Thoo Lei and two orphanages inside Burma, who through their various channels help the survivors of Cyclone Nagis. Due to the difficulties in transporting relief items into Burma, the orphanage house mother and her driver will make three trips in a small van over the next few weeks so as not to draw unnecessary attention to their activities. WWM left additional funds to be used for transportation.
It has proven difficult to give assistance to the people in need inside Burma. Many obstacles stand in the way of sending in large quantities of relief items and the high cost of fuel has prevented even small shipments going in, along with unrest at the border. We have been able to direct funds collected (over half a million baht so far) to an organisation operating inside Burma. They are utilising the funds to provide food and medical supplies, re-build homes and repair boats so the fishermen are able to start earning a living again. Your donations of money, food and clothing have had, and continue to have, a positive effect on their recovery.
Women With a Mission will continue to assist the Burmese families inside Burma with funds to help rebuild their lives in addition to providing children living in refuges camps along the Thai/Burma border with daily meals, educational materials, uniforms and medicines.
A big thank you goes out to so many people, but first of all Marjolijn for co-ordinating the food and clothing drive, along with her many friends. We also thank the following people, schools and organisations for their generosity.
Management of Regent Park (Bangkok Sunday Co. Ltd)
DHL Logistics
Thai Thani Management Co. Ltd
St Andrews International School
International School Eastern Seaboard (ISE)
Montessori Children’s Centre International
Neighbours of Regent’s Park
De Nederlandse Vereniging in Pattaya
AGS Four Winds
Pattaya International Ladies Club
Dana Spicer (Rayong)
There were many individuals who helped in collecting the goods, sort and label boxes, produce packing lists and others who provided medical supplies. Our thanks go out to you all for making this a successful collection.
Help is still needed by the Burmese people. Please contact WWM on how you can make a difference to the lives of those with so little. We’d also like to hear from you if you wanted some more information or updates on our activities.
Email – wwm.burma@gmail.com.
Rosanne, Bronwyn and Kylie
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