(openPR) - EVANSTON, Ill. (May 16, 2008) – Almost two weeks after the devastating cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, an aid flight with a load of 1,000 emergency shelter boxes arrived early Friday morning at the Yangon airport.
The plane was chartered by Cornwell-based charity Shelterbox, a grassroots disaster relief organization supported by Rotary clubs around the world. Shelterbox was one of the first outside relief organization to be allowed into the country, where the May 3 cyclone killed more than 77,738 people with 55,917 others missing, according to Burmese state media.
On board of the DC-10 plane were two US Shelterbox volunteers to support the four Brittish response team members who have been in Yangon since May 8 distributing the initial shipment of 644 boxes containing tents, mosquito nets, tools, water purifying tablets and other necessities.
Working with local authorities, the 1000 boxes were transported straight off the aircraft onto trucks and then into affected areas with Burmese fire and rescue workers in field for further distribution in the outlying Irrawaddy Delta region.
“500 plus 50 blue (water purification kit) boxes will be distributed to Ngaputaw, Haigyi Island in the Southwest Delta region, 250 boxes to Labutta Delta and 250 to Bogale,” reported Shelterbox response team leader Ian Neal.
Neal, a fireman from Cornwell, said over the last week he and his team members have worked tirelessly with local authorities to get the aid moving into the affected area. The Shelterbox team also created ‘train the trainer’ sessions with Burmese fire services to train local staff on Shelterbox contents and setting up tents.
One of the two US volunteers who arrived today in Myanmar to assist in the relief efforts is Patrick Olson, a college textbook publisher and member of the Rotary Club of Plymouth, Michigan. The other American is David Eby, a property appraiser from Brentwood, Tenn.
Each Shelterbox container is equipped to help a family of 10 survive for six months and costs $1,000 to sponsor.
Rotary International, 1560 Sherman Ave., Evanston, IL 60201, USA
Sandra Prufer, Media Relations Europe/Africa
Shelterbox started in 2001 as a modest project by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, England, and quickly garnered support among Rotary clubs worldwide. To date Shelterbox has raised $29 million and delivered aid to 40 countries in response to more than 70 disasters. Rotary clubs provide more than half of the charity’s funding. Visit www.shelterbox.org for more information.
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace. Paul P. Harris founded the world’s first service club 1905 in Chicago. Today, 1.2 million men and women belong to nearly 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical regions. For more information, visit www.rotary.org.
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