Burma Cyclone Relief Project Update, May 2008: A great big thank you is in order for all your help in our efforts to provide aid in the face of the ongoing suffering, death, and destruction in Burma. We have closed the site to new donations, as we must now get the money into the hands […]
Burma cyclone relief
While taking a cooking course north of Chiang Mai, Thailand, my partner at the time and I watched a massive storm blow across the horizon. On our return to the city, we learned it was Cyclone Nargis, which obliterated a chunk of Burma, rendering 2 million people without food, shelter, or water.
Our plan to help out started simply; we would rent a truck, fill it with water, and drive it to the border where an aid worker could pick it up.
Within 24 hours, we had the Royal Thai Air Force and a C130 Hercules military aircraft at our beck and call. We could fill a truck on our own, but we couldn't fill a plane. And so we became reluctant and accidental founders of an international NGO on the fly....
CBC National Coverage
Just in case you missed it, here is the latest news piece on the CBC National news that was put together to tell our story: We have now raised almost $12,500 towards cyclone relief in Burma! We couldn’t do it without our generous donors. If you have not already donated, please do so by either […]
Burma Cyclone Relief: Friday Update – It’s Finally Happening!
Well, we’ve had some crushing blows in the face of all the work we have done over this week, but also amazing victories in the face of it. After networking like mad in a country where we don’t speak the language and are tiptoeing around making any cultural faux pas with powerful business people, we […]
Burma Cyclone Relief: Thursday Update – Not Much Longer Now!
It is hard to believe that we have been at this for seven days now. It truly feels like seven weeks. All we can do is remember that our hell is nothing in comparison to the hell that the Burmese victims continue to endure. For them, we persevere. We two Canadians seem to have become […]
Burma Fundraising: Tuesday Update – We’re Big News!
Although we didn’t personally meet with the Royal Thai Air Force today as hoped, we have received reports that they do not currently have permission to fly into Burma directly from Chiang Mai. They are in contact with their top people in Bangkok to attain permission. Failing that, we are looking at either flying […]
Burma Fundraising: Monday Update
As the world back home in Canada wakes up to the beginning of a new week, we are winding down on a Monday night. We are very tired. Being all too aware that getting sleep and taking care of ourselves is very important, we are trying to make sure we are well rested and healthy. […]
Just on the BBC!
It has been a busy day, and tomorrow promises to be even busier with meetings with the Royal Thai Air Force and Chiang Mai Rotary club. The latest news is that Thailand is officially sending in internationally sourced aid where it is not necessarily getting into Burma through other channels. It appears we are on […]
Cyclone Relief Update: Working with Thailand
It has been a tiresome 24 hours since my last update here and our idea to deliver aid to the Burmese in whatever grassroots way we can. But progress seems to be happening, and in absolutely amazing ways. We have now established contact with the Chiang Mai Rotary Club, who in turn has contact with […]
Disaster Relief for Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar
Hello everyone, I am taking a break from the stories I usually share of our travels to give you an update as to our activities. (Later posts updating our adventures in Bangkok and beyond will follow). We are currently in Chang Mai, which is located in Northern Thailand. Last week, Cyclone Nargis, a cyclone of […]
