On 30 April, fire ripped through Dawei District (pictured above) in south-eastern Myanmar, causing widespread damage to the area. Hundreds of children and adults were affected, with houses and infrastructure destroyed or badly damaged.

Dawei is a small town on the northern bank of the Dawei River. The district was only recently connected to the rest of Myanmar by road and rail. There are significant numbers of people living with HIV in the region as a consequence of high migration levels to neighbouring Thailand for work.

ChildFund Myanmar is working in partnership with local organisation, Future Light, to support children living with or affected by HIV and AIDS in the district. Future Light has been working in this area since 2009.

Following the fire, ChildFund and other aid agencies, including World Vision, have begun providing emergency relief for children and families impacted by the fire. More than 70 homes were destroyed, leaving over 400 people without shelter and in need of food and water.

Among the families whose homes and belongings have been destroyed are 50 school pupils and 10 university students.  Unable to return to their studies without educational supplies, ChildFund Myanmar is providing school uniforms and other educational resources including school books and bags.

Nini Htwe, ChildFund Myanmar’s Country Representative, says: “We are saddened by the news that this fire has broken out in our project area and affected 78 families. ChildFund is working closely with Future Light, district officials and local people to respond to this emergency.”

ChildFund`s emergency response in Dawei, which is helping over 400 people get back on their feet, is thanks to the generous support of our Project Humanity partners.