CREST staff and volunteers went into the hard-to-reach villages affected by the floods. The team visited the villages in Long Panai, Long Lama, Long Ikang and Long Lapok. Rice crops and seedlings for the next planting season have been destroyed by the flood. So far, the villagers have received only 5kg rice and 2 cans of sardines per family. The recce team managed to deliver more food to them but more has to be done. The challenge here is the inaccessibility of these villages. It is a 30 minute trip by road from Miri to Kuala Baram and another 7 hour boat ride from Kuala Baram to Long Lama.

With available funding, CREST is currently working with a group of volunteers to help villagers in Long Ikang to repair and improve the infrastructure for rice planting.

The year was 2008. From May 2 to 3, Cyclone Nargis tore across Myanmar with wind speeds of up to 240kmh. 138,000 people were reported dead or missing. The “living dead” of 2.4 million people were in dire need. From 19 to 26 April 2009, CREST visited some of the sites which bore the brunt of the cyclone.

Now, one year on, one fifth of the homes destroyed are still covered under tarpaulin sheets. The rural areas hardest hit by the storm have seen very little recovery taking place. The monsoon season has started this month.

With a local partner, CREST inspected some of the 15 ECDCs (Early Childhood Development Centres) in the Ayerwaddy.  These are basic wooden structures, a  great number of them missing in furniture and educational resources.

In the  Dagon slums a blown down structure has been rebuilt with the foundations strengthened and reinforced with cement.  Out of the ashes, this  building now  serves as a  feeding centre for 150 children  who are given a nutritious meal once a week. English language tuition is taught to some of the most receptive students. A women’s group meets here to share homely wisdom and encouragement. 2 hours away in the Hinthagone slums, this same program of feeding and training of women and the young has been adopted and has just started off.  Another 50 children are now recipients of the feeding program.

CREST has put off plans to conclude the funding of recovery and rehabilitation projects and is committed to continue to provide support to improve the services of the ECDCs and community centres.

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