Crisis Response

The response…

Community Care Myanmar (CCM) are our partners in the early childhood education program. This program is run in one of Yangon’s largest informal communities. Families live in make shift shelters in extremely overcrowded conditions with poor sanitation and limited access to water. There are very limited opportunities for people to earn an income.

In 2020 we committed to help CCM so that they could respond to the COVID-19 crisis which was then compounded by the military coup in 2021. Both these outside stressors had the potential to devastate this community but the CCM team stepped in to provide hope and light during these dark times.

The CCM team have close connections with the parents of the children attending the school and also with the wider community. CCM work with community leaders to co-ordinate providing emergency food aid to families who are unable to buy food and water due to loosing their meager source of income.

It is our commitment that the total of all donations will go towards this emergency response and we will not be taking any percentage for administration costs.

The impact…

In May 2020 SPM sent $2,682 AUD across which enabled CCM to purchase basic supplies and distribute them to 350 households (1,268 individuals). This included 25 families who had a disabled member, 101 elderly and 136 widows.

SPM sent another $2,412 AUD across in early June 2020 and on the 15th, 16th and 17th of June the CCM team distributed supplies to 450 households. This included 98 widows, 67 elderly and 13 families who had a disabled member.

After the military coup in February 2021 CCM continued to distribute food into this community despite the added challenges. In late March 2021 SUSTAIN Projects Myanmar sent $2,000 AUD, and with the support of community leaders, the CCM team were able to distribute food items to the most needy families. From these funds 200 families received this life saving support.

Our End of Financial Year 20/21 Campaign raised $1,585 which we sent across in August 2021. On September 17 and 18 the CCM were able to distribute food packs to 200 households and mosquito nets to 100 households.

“I don’t want to wear my brother’s old shoes. This is my first new shoes. Yes, I am happy!”

In 2022 SUSTAIN Projects Myanmar sent a total of $7,000 to our partner CCM who distributed food, blankets, mosquito nets and shoes to families living in the slum community.

Another $7,500 AUD was sent to CCM in 2023 and the team were able to distribute rice and oil to 1,270 households. The price of these basic items has sky-rocketed in the past 2 years so unfortunately our money does not buy as much as it used to.

In 2023 CCM were able to rebuild 6 houses in the community. Here is a before and after shot of one of the homes that was rebuilt. The cost of rebuilding one home is approximately $1,000 AUD.

YOU can help the families in this vulnerable community by donating here.