ActionAid has launched post-flood relief and recovery efforts to assist 34 villages and more than 13,000 people in Myanmar in partnership with Prudence Foundation, the community investment arm of insurance company Prudential in Asia, according to a press release October 26.
According to the ActionAid press release, the project will focus on two regions worst affected by the floods, Magwe region and Chin state, providing vital recovery assistance to those affected by flooding in Pakkoku township and Falam Township.
ActionAid says it will utilise the funds to help repair and rebuild physical infrastructure that was damaged as well as support for the long-term recovery of people’s livelihoods. This will include improving shelters, providing seeds and agricultural inputs to regenerate land that was washed out in the flooding, and providing grants to help those affected re-establish their livelihoods.
ActionAid has been responding to the floods since July by working with a network of young people from the communities who have been trained to facilitate community-led development and respond in emergency situations. Interventions to date included immediate life-saving relief during the floods.
"This year, we experienced unprecedented floods in Myanmar that severely affected more than a million lives and livelihoods. In this situation it is crucial to provide not only immediate aid but also post-emergency support for people to rebuild homes and access income generating opportunities - by the philosophy of ‘build back better’. We are grateful for the Prudence Foundation's generous financial support and active participation in this process," said Mr Shihab Uddin Ahamad, Country Director of ActionAid Myanmar.
Prudence Foundation has also been active by providing people with information on how to prepare for disasters through their SAFE STEPS programme. This programme was launched in Myanmar in October 2014 in partnership with ActionAid. Information cards and posters about disaster preparedness have been distributed to over 100,000 people through ActionAid’s network across the country.
“We are committed to the long-term recovery of those people impacted by the recent floods. As a life insurance company, we aim to help protect families and provide security for their future. So similarly our Foundation aims to do the same for individuals and their families at the time of need when natural disasters strike. We hope our partnership with ActionAid will help the people of Myanmar rebuild their lives and give them a strong foundation for their future livelihoods,” said Mr Marc Fancy, Executive Director of Prudence Foundation.
