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Update on Cyclone Nargis
It’s been a year since Cyclone Nargis killed at least 77,738 people in Myanmar and left a million more homeless. True to our long-term and sustainable approach to disaster relief, Episcopal Relief & Development is still there.
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, we rushed into the country—including remote areas that took as long as eight hours by road and 12 more by boat to reach—with emergency services and supplies.
Today, our focus is on rebuilding—and, in many places, working to build infrastructure communities never had. In partnership with the Anglican Church in Myanmar, for example, we helped build a water system in Twee Kin Wa, a tiny and remote village around 20 miles from Paletwa, the closest town. The village relies on the monsoon rains for water. During the six-month dry season, women walk a half day to Paletwa to purchase water. The Anglican Diocese built three cisterns to harvest rainwater, with three miles of piping to distribute it around the village.
The result is that women are able to spend time with their children, take on new roles in the community and even enjoy the once prohibitive luxury of rest. That’s the first and crucial step on the road to empowerment.
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