Tents, emergency shelter kits, water purification tablets: essential aid to face the upcoming rainy season with strong winds and heavy rainfall. 70,000 displaced people without safe shelter
Wednesday, 9 April. A humanitarian cargo plane, organised by the European Union, has landed in Yangon in response to the devastating earthquake emergency that struck Myanmar. On board were the first 55 tonnes of aid destined for the most affected communities, to be distributed in the coming hours by CESVI, an NGO that has been operating in the country for over 20 years. A second shipment of supplies, carrying another 17 tonnes of emergency humanitarian aid, is expected in the coming days.
Welcoming the arrival of the cargo, alongside Paolo Felice, CESVI Head of Mission in Myanmar, were Patrick Sandoval Nichols, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Myanmar, and Italian Ambassador Nicolò Tassoni Estense di Castelvecchio, as a sign of concrete commitment and support that today translates into tangible assistance.
CESVI – present in Myanmar since 2001 and active since the early days following the earthquake to support displaced families – will manage the distribution of aid to the most affected populations, particularly in the Sagaing and Southern Shan regions. This includes 1,000 family tents, 1,600 emergency shelter repair kits, 1,600 tarpaulins for rain protection, 1,600 kitchen sets, 1,000 solar lamps, 1,000 solar torches, and 96,000 water purification tablets: essential items for survival when everything has been lost and as heavy rains are expected in the coming days.
A worsening crisis, day by day
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar is growing more dramatic by the day. Latest estimates report over 3,600 deaths and more than 5,000 injured, around 70,000 newly displaced people, and 17 million individuals affected across the country. The earthquake has caused extensive destruction: tens of thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, roads and bridges have collapsed or are severely damaged.
In many areas, families are sleeping outdoors, under makeshift tarpaulins, without electricity, clean drinking water, or any form of safe shelter. Most affected communities have yet to receive any kind of assistance.
To make matters worse, recent days have seen rain, wind and violent storms. Makeshift shelters have been swept away, while heavy rainfall has triggered new collapses in already damaged buildings. The forecast is not encouraging: further days of heavy rain and strong winds are expected, with devastating impacts especially for those forced to live on the streets.
The hygiene and health situation is extremely concerning. In many areas, there is no access to clean water, and a single latrine is being used by up to 500 people. Early outbreaks of acute watery diarrhoea have been reported – a potential early sign of cholera. The risk of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and skin infections is extremely high, particularly in contexts where thousands of people are camped in precarious conditions, without protection or medical care.
The most vulnerable, the most affected
Children are among the hardest hit. Even before the earthquake, over 50% lived in poverty and nearly half of adolescents were not attending school. Today, many have lost their homes, their schools, and their families. Some witnessed loved ones dying beneath the rubble. The psychological impact of this trauma is beginning to show, particularly among the youngest.
Women are facing severe challenges in collective shelters, where there is a complete lack of privacy and protection, increasing the risk of abuse. Elderly people, persons with disabilities and young children – already vulnerable – are experiencing isolation and lack any form of adequate support.
Economically, families are at breaking point: nearly four out of five are expected to run out of savings by the end of this week, while banks are struggling to resume services and have limited cash availability.
CESVI in Myanmar since 2001
CESVI has been operating in Myanmar since 2001, implementing projects to strengthen the resilience of the most vulnerable rural communities and promote sustainable development, particularly in the Dry Zone. It supports local populations across multiple sectors: food security, livelihoods and economic inclusion – especially of women – education in emergencies, child protection, and climate change adaptation through environmental restoration and the creation of community assets.
In the Dry Zone, CESVI supports vulnerable families with cash-for-work schemes to implement soil conservation, rehabilitation of water ponds, and reforestation. In Southern Shan, CESVI assists hundreds of smallholder farmers in transitioning to sustainable horticultural farming, while in conflict-affected areas it ensures access to education for thousands of children excluded from the school system. It also promotes women’s economic empowerment by supporting the creation of micro-enterprises for food processing and providing financial literacy training to women in rural settings.
A race against time
Myanmar is facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises in recent years. And time is running out: the imminent onset of the rainy season could further worsen the situation.
In this context, every contribution counts. Thanks to the support of all those standing by us in this emergency, such as the European Union, CESVI continues to carry out its fieldwork with the goal of providing rapid and effective assistance to those who have lost everything.