Myanmar – reporting from base

Myanmar – reporting from base

WE CANT WAIT!!

Friday, 17 May 2008 – Some 1,000 people including women and children got their first taste of a proper meal 15 days after the cyclone hit Myanmar. United Sikhs with the support of individuals on ground in Yangon was able to mobilize a kitchen to cook and serve food and drinks to the people displaced by the Cyclone Nargis. Today, as word got around, more and more affected people are coming to the aid offered by the United Sikhs. The team is working round the clock, preparing and serving food and drinks to them.

Currently efforts to gather relief goods to be sent to Myanmar are being carried out throughout Malaysia. The effort organized by United Sikhs (Malaysia) Society is supported by the Sathya Sai Counsil of Malaysia and the Buddhist Maha Vihara Malaysia.

The Mission Control Center in Wadda Gurudwara Kampung Pandan is open daily from 7 am to 12 midnight after which vir Sukhwant of the control center stays at the control center to greet late comers and man the 24 hour hotline. The control center is managed by a team of dedicated volunteers who have taken time off their busy schedule. All processes are carefully documented and all finances carefully accounted for.

The severe shortage of supplies and clean water is a major threat to the existing survivors. Outbreak of malaria and other water and air bound disease have started without much can be done to stop or prevent it from spreading. The main factor is contaminated water and the lack of clean drinking water from the start of the cyclone.

There is still not enough of everything – food, drinks, medical supplies, etc. and the death toll is escalating. The lack of doctors and trained medical assistance is also a major setback. United Sikhs (Malaysia) Society expects to within the week, send out our first shipment of food and other supplies together with United Sikhs volunteers from Kuala Lumpur who will be stationed in Yangon to prepare and distribute food cooked at the Sikh Temple

Till date the relief mission has gathered approximately 200 tonnes of foods supplies and over RM100,000 in cash. For those of you who have yet to contribute please send your contribution to the collection centers at the Sikh Temples near you and klang valley residents can send their contribution to the Sathya Sai Center and the Mission Control Center at Wadda Gurudwara Kampung Pandan. Should there be any assistance or information you require please call our 24 hour hotline number at +60 12 215 5966 or email us at utdsikhs@gmail.com.This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

What can you send over:

1. Rice

2. Potatoes / Oil / Sugar

3. Bottles water

4. Biscuits / Canned beans

5. Instant Noodles

6. Baby milk powder

7. Sanitary napkins / undergarments (new)

8. Medicines (pain relief, antibiotic, antiseptics, bandages, plasters, eye drops, oral rehydration salts, intravenous drips, cough syrups and antihistamine)

9. Water purification tablets

With the grace of god, more and more people are coming together to help the relief mission. This displays the compassion for another suffering human and the hope that somehow this nightmare will end soon.