On 2 May 2008 the devastating Cyclone Nargis struck the South West coast of Myanmar, Burma. Its destructive path is estimated to have caused over 70,000 deaths and displaced more than one million people from the flooded South West delta region.

In response, Impact have mobilised our Relief and Development Group to assist with the efforts. Read the latest updates here:

Despite the urgent needs of so many people who lacked shelter, clean water or food, the military government placed severe restrictions on international NGOs and UN agencies. To date a handful of agencies already working in the area have led the distribution of supplies to those affected.

Fresh from working with the UK’s Department for International Development in Rwanda, senior consultant Hamish Wilson has been seconded with the agency leading the response – long standing Impact client Save the Children UK - to serve as Emergency Programme Manager.

Based in the capital of Yangon, Hamish is currently managing the operations in one of three response areas, working closely with field based counterparts. Hamish is responsible for doubling the size of the organisation and establishing 14 fully functional field offices. His role will see him providing management and coordination support for essential shelter, water and sanitation, nutrition, health and education projects for up to 800,000 people across the Delta region.

Hamish is joined by another of our consultants, Rupert Miller, who will have the role of Private Sector Emergency Coordinator. Rupert has also been seconded to Save the Children UK, but will be based in Yangon and Bangkok. His role is to facilitate the mobilisation and coordination of the private sector response. To do this, he will be looking to connect with corporate networks in the area (Bangkok, Asia Pacific and global) and in the field (Myanmar).

"Impact is committed to developing new solutions for our partners by catalysing action between non governmental organisations and the corporate sector to serve people living in crisis. Through our deep knowledge of people and organisational development and first hand experience of disaster relief, we are able to help existing relief and development agencies work more effectively to deliver what is needed where it is needed most."
David Williams, Founder and CEO, Impact International

If you are interested in/ or can link us to people who can participate in forums hosted by Rupert in Bangkok and/or Yangon, or can actually get involved in the relief effort then please contact us.

To read Hamish and Rupert's latest updates from their work in Burma click the links below.

Hamish & Rupert: 8 July 2008
Rupert Miller: 30 June 2008
Rupert Miller: 19 June 2008
Hamish Wilson: 9 June 2008

To read more about our Relief and Development Group, please click here.