Emergency help for families fleeing war

Myanmar | 2022 | CBPF

Mon State, Myanmar. Until July 2021, Naw Phaw Hi and her three children lived in a rural area of Mon State. She was the main breadwinner supporting her family after her husband died.
When the conflict was reignited, she and her children — along with all the residents of her village — were abruptly forced to leave their homes and move to a nearby displacement camp to escape the fighting.

Although they received support from relatives and friends, it was not enough to address their overwhelming needs.

The people of Myanmar continue to face a political, human rights and humanitarian crisis that poses grave protection risks to civilians, limiting access to vital services, including health and education, and driving deep food insecurity.

The  conflict in Myanmar has driven unprecedented displacement, with the number of people displaced steeply increasing to 1.4 million as of 24 October 2022. This is nearly 1 million more than at the same time last year.

“We had to run away and leave behind everything because of the fighting in our area. We left our house and belongings and escaped from the village. I was not only worried about the safety of my children but also about how to find food and shelter,” Naw Phaw Hi shared.

An NGO partner, with support from the Myanmar Humanitarian Fund, launched a year long project in July 2021 that provided food assistance, shelter, other relief items and water and sanitation services to displaced people in two townships.

Over the course of the last year, Naw Phaw Hi’s family received four packages – each containing food, house supplies, and other relief items.
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“This assistance helped my family and other families to get through this difficult situation, especially during the rainy season. It took away some of my fears. I hope the situation will improve soon, and we will all be able to return to our native village,” she added.

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*Names have been changed for privacy

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More information on the MHF:
OCHA – POOLED FUNDS DATA HUB – By Country (unocha.org)
https://www.unocha.org/myanmar/about-mhf