The Danish Refugee Council started a Community and Family Based Rehabilitation Project in Myanmar – also known as Burma - in 2010. The project aims at providing a multisectoral long term assistance focusing on the needs of the large amount of people, who is in clear need of a development oriented assistance following cyclone Nargis.

On May 2nd 2008 cyclone Nargis hit the southern areas of Ayeyarwaddy and Yangon Divisions causing heavy losses of life, property and livelihoods affecting over 50 townships and subtownships. According to official sources some 85.000 people were killed, 54.000 went missing and 34.000 were injured as a result of the cyclone. Some 800.000 houses were destroyed or damaged. Infrastructure as schools, hospitals and roads were damaged or simply wiped out.

Multisectoral assistance
The Danish Refugee Council’s Community and Family Based Rehabilitation Project is designed to address the current needs of the victims of cyclone Nargis in a post humanitarian emergency phase.

Two years after the cyclone hit, the initiate emergency response has led to a number of developments and results, but still a very high number of households live in inadequate/emergency shelter, the hardest hit areas experience large water sanitation problems i.e. leaving many communities to rely on surface water sources, the livelihood situation has been seriously damaged and some areas have experienced up to 50% loss of food security.

The Danish Refugee Council has thus designed a project which addresses the needs encountered on the ground and which meets the capacity and operational strengths of the Refugee Council. The multisectoral assistance includes livelihood assistance, construction of schools, houses and ponds/wells and the provision of ceramic filters for safe drinking water.

The Humanitarian Situation in Myanmar
Even before Nargis hit the country, Myanmar was one of the most deprived countries of the world. In addition to the humanitarian needs caused by the cyclone, there are tremendous humanitarian and protection problems linked to displacement in the country which affects a considerable part of the population both in Myanmar and its neighbouring countries. It is estimated that more than 500.000 people live as internally displaced as a result of government persecution and on-going civil wars between ethnic groups and government troops.

Foto: UNHCR / Taw Naw Htoo / May 2008