May 8, 2008
Dear Friends,
Please see the press release requesting contributions for the victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. My husband and another member of the U Thant Institute plan to visit Myanmar on May 18 to make direct assessments. We will concentrate on providing support to grassroots organizations like Buddhist temples where many displaced people are already taking shelter.
UNICEF has reported that many schools have been either collapsed or severely damaged...and that more than 200 temporary relief camps such as monasteries, pagodas and schools are operating in the visited townships and the figure will continue to grow as more information comes up. Displaced people are currently staying in very congested shelters suffer from lack of clean drinking water and latrines, which clearly indicates a risk of water-borne diseases. Clean drinking water, latrines, tarpaulins, essential drug kits are immediate needs of the people.
As a first phase of our operation, we will concentrate on these immediate needs as well as provision of food.
We would be most grateful for any generous contribution you could make to this cause.
Sincerely,
Aye Aye Thant
President