Cyclone Aid Project 3: Dala
Funded by: Cyclone Aid donors
Donation Items:
500 kg of rice (10 sacks; 1 sack ~ 50kg)
200 kg of yellow lentils (4 sacks; 1 sack ~ 50kg)
27 packs of Cereal (Each pack contains 30 sachets)
150 pieces of blankets
Coordinator/Expedition Leader:
San Yu
Expedition Team:
Daw Yee Yee, U Htay Lwin, Ko Soe Lwin, Ko Nay Zaw, Aung Hein
Project Expenditure - Main Fund:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pqVuU-s3oPiZQ0jp9BFmQSA
Project Expenditure - Reserve Fund:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=peewW-g4TJXU-2x4Gh56RAA&gid=1
Photo Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/cyclone.aid/Project3/
Background:
Not far from the outskirts of Yangon, Dala was hit hard by Cyclone Nargis, which destroyed majority of the houses. Dala is largely ignored by the aid groups because of its proximity to the city, and its low number of casualties. We were alerted by the report in Straits Times published on Sunday, 18th of May. The team then moved fast to get everything ready for an expedition the next morning.
Travel Diary:
The expedition team gathered on 19.May.2008 at 8am. We hired a light truck, and visited markets to stock up on items to be distributed. Unfortunately, it being Vesak Day, all the markets were closed. We had t
o rely on a few contacts to get the items.
We then travelled to the port, intending to take a ferry to Dala. However, the ferries were not operating. So we had to turn back and travel inland via HlaingTharyar, which increased the journeying time significantly. The journey was further impeded by heavy rain that poured the whole day.
In Dala, the four local monasteries have been housing and feeding many of the refugees. Many refugees took shelter at the area below the pillars of the monastery. With no walls to keep the elements out, monsoon has been difficult for them. Others preferred to stay in their huts which are on the verge of collapse.
We first went to the monasteries to donate supplies. In one village, we left the rations at the monastery after the Abbott agreed to help us distribute it to his charges.
As the local people are largely unused to aid groups, we initially had to coax them out of their homes to receive the bags of rice and lentils as well as blankets. Family by family, they came in tattered clothes and shared umbrellas to received the items from us.
However, once news got round that we were giving out food, the crowd that gathered was intimidating. Desperate for handouts, the crowd was beyond control. We distributed whatever we brought with us, but as the supplies ran out, we were forced to drive off before the crowd turned violent.
We arrived back in Yangon in the late evening, shivering and contemplative.
The expedition team gathered on 19.May.2008 at 8am. We hired a light truck, and visited markets to stock up on items to be distributed. Unfortunately, it being Vesak Day, all the markets were closed. We had t
We then travelled to the port, intending to take a ferry to Dala. However, the ferries were not operating. So we had to turn back and travel inland via HlaingTharyar, which increased the journeying time significantly. The journey was further impeded by heavy rain that poured the whole day.
In Dala, the four local monasteries have been housing and feeding many of the refugees. Many refugees took shelter at the area below the pillars of the monastery. With no walls to keep the elements out, monsoon has been difficult for them. Others preferred to stay in their huts which are on the verge of collapse.
We first went to the monasteries to donate supplies. In one village, we left the rations at the monastery after the Abbott agreed to help us distribute it to his charges.
As the local people are largely unused to aid groups, we initially had to coax them out of their homes to receive the bags of rice and lentils as well as blankets. Family by family, they came in tattered clothes and shared umbrellas to received the items from us.
However, once news got round that we were giving out food, the crowd that gathered was intimidating. Desperate for handouts, the crowd was beyond control. We distributed whatever we brought with us, but as the supplies ran out, we were forced to drive off before the crowd turned violent.
We arrived back in Yangon in the late evening, shivering and contemplative.
http://cyclone-aid.blogspot.com
This report was prepared by San Yu on 2008-05-19.