ABCD Network Response following Cyclone Nargis

The scale of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis is so widespread that all the international aid through the numerous agencies just cannot keep up with the demand. There is so much more required by the hundreds of villages and communities scattered around the Ayeyarwady Delta. One of the challenges we have is to ensure that, as time goes by, we all do not lose sight that these people continued to need our help and support just to get by and live day to day. The very generous support and donations of money, goods and services we have received from everyone has been tremendous. This has enabled us to provide emergency relief to a number of the affected areas and indeed make a difference to the devastated lives of many people.  Of the monetary donations, $72,515 (Download Full Financial Report) has been sent direct to Burma through four project areas, each headed respectively by Prof. U Hla Myint for the medical projects, U Kyaw Thu of FFSS, Thidagu Sayadaw U Nyaneithara, and Sayadaw U Chekinda who are actively working with local communities for post cyclone relief. With their intimate knowledge of local conditions, culture and constraints, they are in the best position to assess the needs and requirements of the respective areas. They have been able to act swiftly and operate effectively in their support of the local communities. Aid provided by them has been in the form of food, clothing, medical supplies, medical services, water purification and any other necessities that they on the ground assess as being needed at the time. In some cases hospital costs of the Cyclone victims are being paid for, while in other instances water pumps have been provided to communities. For more detail please refer to the individual profiles and scope of work being carried out by each of the above local partners. These profiles are shown elsewhere on this website. In addition, two of 40ft containers and three of 20ft containers (7TEUs in total) have been sent. Donated goods in the containers were medical supplies, sanitary supplies, rice, water, tinned food, packaged food, household goods, clothing, blankets, towels, linen, etc... We particularly would like to express our gratitude to the following: The Burmese Medical Association of Australia (BMAA) for their support and encouragement.  Sydney Indo Chinese Youth Sport Association for their very positive support and generous donation. DHL and Schenker Australia for their very generous donations of shipping containers and freight services. The ITC Family Association for their energetic support and donations. The Cairns Migrant Settlement Services & Cairns Burmese community for their active support and donation. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship of Melbourne for their support and donation. The Sydney Burmese Buddhist Vihara Monastery at Yennora for their kindness, compassion, support, donations and kind permission to use their premises and facilities for storage and packing of donated goods and shipping containers. VIP Packaging Pty Ltd for the donation of cardboard boxes for packaging. Real Foods Pty Ltd for the donation of rice, packaged food and tinned food.  The many businesses, associations, church communities, work groups, university and school groups; communities such as the Burmese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Malaysian, Thai, Indian and Greek; the many individuals and, of course, the public for their support, encouragement, compassion and very generous donations. The members of the ABCD Network and numerous volunteers who worked tirelessly for such long hours with great dedication and goodwill.   You have all provided a very positive, practical and direct support to the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma and, no doubt, reduced their suffering immensely and saved many lives. Amongst all the suffering and despair, you have given them hope and a chance for a better life. One of the touching feedbacks we received is their expression that now they know the outside world has not forgotten them. Please continue to support ABCD Network as we also focus on long term projects to help the people of Burma recover.  Thanks seems such a small word to convey our feeling, but the gratitude, the real gratitude of those people in Burma, who have benefited from your generosity and compassion, would be far greater than anything we can ever express. Dennis Jackson  President ABCD Network Inc.