(ANS – Yangon) – As soon as the flood disaster broke out in Kalay township, Chin State, the Salesians of Don Bosco formed a group and went about saving and recuing the lives of the people. The group, consisting of the Salesians, Salesian Sisters, volunteers, past pupils and friends, pooled together their energy and gave a helping hand to bring people to safety.

By Fr Peter Kim My, SDB

After giving the people shelter and setting up camps for them to stay, there were lots of things to be cleared up in the whole locality, because the presence of filth and dead animals would bring in many more diseases. After cleansing the area, we organized at night some Psycho-Social supporting programmes at night, by going around the camps to share their sufferings with them and at the same time give them encouragement and hope.

After rescuing the lives of the people, we began distributing food to the flood victims. In the first place, since we are in the Kalay Diocese, where the flood disaster hit the hardest, we allocated some of our contributions to the Bishop and Pastor of Kalay Diocese, so that he could help out in some other disaster areas in his diocese. Then the group started the distribution of food. Many had not seen food for some days. We distributed rice bags for 400 families, enough for the whole month, and cooking oil, beans, tins of sardines and salt, together with crockery, buckets and cups. We also distributed enough purified water for the whole month.

Then comes the medical and health care programme. The lack of proper food and water and of proper beds, caused some sickness among the people. A lot of medical care was needed. Along with medicine, we had to supply the people with blankets and mosquito-nets. The toilets had and the washing facilities had to be kept neat and tidy, in order to keep the health care in tip top condition.

For the Mandalay division, in this flood relief programme, we provided a boat for               each of the ten villages, since they are always under water throughout the year.

After these initial activities carried out by the Salesians and their group of helpers, there is still much relief work to be done. There are many other programmes to help the people. They include a Livelihood program, a Regeneration program, Repairing houses, Rebuilding schools, and Building roads and Bridges.

Thanks to friends and benefactors and the commitment of the regional EAO, the Salesians of Myanmar were able to bring to these flood victim areas goods to the value of 70.000 USD.

Published 5/10/2015