ElectricAid assists Red Cross in relief efforts for Burma/Myanmar

Electricaid donated €25,000 to the Red Cross to help its relief efforts in Burma/Myanmar, which was hit by Cyclone Nargis in May

The donation was made to the Red Cross by ElectricAid Chairperson, Peter Kelly at an event held in ESB Head Office on Friday, August 25th, where those present included the Secretary General of the Irish Red Cross, John Roycroft, the head of the Red Cross's International Department, Noel Wardwick and ElectricAid Treasurer, Pease Crilly.

A number of other aid organisations were considered for the donation but the Red Cross won out in the end due to the strong presence of its Myanmar Division in the worst affected area. More than two million people have lost their homes or have been otherwise severely affected by the cyclone. The Red Cross established a presence on the ground immediately following the disaster, distributing life-saving relief items, such as drinking water, clothing, food, plastic tarpaulins and hygiene kits. It was for this reason that ElectricAid decided to donate to them. This is a situation that the country has not dealt with before and the scale of the need is massive. Casualty figures continue to rise.

The €25,000 is being well spent and every cent will get to those who need it most. One of the major problems currently is a lack of safe drinking water and reports of diarrhoea are increasing. The Myanmar Red Cross Society, supported by the International Federation, is distributing water purification tablets and, as you read this, Red Cross water teams are producing and delivering clean water from purification units in Labutta, Bogale, Mawlamyingyun and Dedaye, and are cleaning water sources such as wells and ponds that have been polluted. Meanwhile, volunteers are intensifying their community education efforts for the prevention and control of disease. The €25,000 of your money is at work and being used effectively to help the victims of one of the worst natural disasters in recent times.