Impact respond to cyclone devastation in Burma

Hamish & Rupert
Diary update: 8 July 2008

 
Hamish Wilson: Location = Yangon, Burma
Hamish has now overseen the recruitment of over 1200 staff, who are working from 14 field operations to deliver aid to over 800,000 people. 

Rupert Miller: Location = Bangkok, Thailand and Myanmar, Burma
Rupert splits his time between these locations in order to most effectively engage the corporate sector to highlight the work of Save the Children in Myanmar and the South East Asia Region.

Quite simply the work of Save the Children and Impact's Relief and Development Group has been an extraordinary undertaking. Two months after the cyclone, the focus on the ground in Myanmar is now shifting. The immediate needs of shelter and emergency medical aid on the whole are being met. The biggest issue is whether people who have lost so much are able to plant rice, fish or mine salt to survive the next hunger season.
 
In terms of the corporate sector response to emergencies, there is huge potential to go above and beyond traditional fund raising and the donation of goods. Impact have recognised that this requires a principled, committed approach to utilise the resources of the international and local private sector. Rupert’s role as private sector coordinator has highlighted what can be achieved in responding to humanitarian disasters through collaboration between business and international NGO’s.

Impact felt that in addition to the expertise of our Relief and Development Group, we could help by drawing on our private sector relationships to galvanise a co-ordinated response from business to deal with the aftermath of the Myanmar tragedy. We have great optimism for new partnerships in which the drive for value can be coupled with the drive to provide life and dignity for the poor.
 
In launching this initiative, we have reached out to CEOs from some of the world’s biggest corporate organisations including those who attended the Business Call to Action event hosted by Gordon Brown in London last month.  Impact is now working with companies based in Thailand to support the relief effort and the work of Safe the Children in the South East Asia Region. 

Hamish and Rupert will return to the UK at the start of August. If you would like to hear more about Impact and Save the Children’s operations across the region in Asia please contact us.