On 2 May, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar (Burma), severly affecting 2.4 million people – 1 million of whom are children. The cyclone caused massive loss of life, destroyed homes, schools and hospitals, and left many without shelter. Thousands of people were hit by tsunami-like waves. The authorities declared five states and divisions (Yangon/Rangoon, Irrawaddy, Bago, Mon and Kayin) to be disaster zones.

UNICEF’s priority is to ensure the survival and protection of children and their families in the affected areas. We are continuing to distribute life-saving supplies including safe drinking water, food, essential medicine and health kits, as well as other emergency supplies such as blankets, tarpaulins and cooking sets. Whilst many people are living in camps, the majority of the affected population has started to return to their villages despite the lack of clean water, adequate shelter and food.

• Fundraise for the Cyclone Children's Appeal appeal
• Watch Martin Bell's video message about Burma
• Read the latest news from Burma
• View a photo gallery of storm survivors
• Find out more about UNICEF's response

Orange customers

In partnership with UNICEF, Orange customers can make a donation of £2.50 to the Myanmar (Burma) Cyclone Children’s Appeal by texting "DONATE" to 864233. The full amount charged for each text message will be donated to UNICEF, with no VAT or operator contributions deducted.

UNICEF's response

UNICEF has been working in Myanmar for over 50 years. Our staff, who were already in the country prior to the cyclone, were the first to respond to the disaster, delivering pre-positioned stocks of supplies which allowed us to respond quickly to the urgent needs of children and their families.

While assistance is reaching victims of the cyclone, much more help is needed. UNICEF and its partners need to increase all resources, supplies, expert personnel and funding, to address the current needs on the ground. If this does not happen, the hygiene and nutritional status of children and of the population as a whole will further deteriorate, triggering waterborne epidemics.

UNICEF and other UN agencies have set up a joint logistics centre in Yangon (Rangoon) to coordinate the relief efforts. UNICEF also has teams stationed in the most-affected districts, conducting relief operations on the ground, identifying needs, and closely monitoring the distribution of supplies to ensure they reach those in need.

UNICEF is using regular airlines and charters to bring emergency supplies into the country, and the supplies are then transported to the affected villages by boat or by land. Below are some of the supplies we have delivered to date:

• 3.6 million water purification tablets
• 626,545 packs of soap
• 500,000 packets of oral rehydration sachets
• 116,230 mosquito nets
• 46,412 sets of tarpaulins for shelter
• 31,485 learning packages
• 21,475 family kits
• 2,700 cartons of therapeutic food
• 1,535 essential medicine kits
• 402 school-in-a-box kits
• 726 recreation kits
• 52 emergency health kits, containing medicines and equipment for 10,000 people.

Providing clean water

Clean water and safe sanitation are the most critical needs, and must be put in place as soon as possible. Apart from providing water purification tablets and bleaching powder to disinfect contaminated water, UNICEF is also constructing and repairing latrines and digging wells in the hardest-hit areas.

Protecting the most vulnerable

Our assessment teams have visited 18 townships, where they found more than 558 children separated from parents (but with a relative) and 24 unaccompanied children. UNICEF along with the Myanmar Red Cross is trying to register and identify these unaccompanied children and is working to reunite them with family or close relatives.

In any situation where children are living in extremely stressful conditions, it is important that they are provided with “child friendly spaces” where they can feel safe and cared for. UNICEF has already set up 29 child-friendly spaces, each one catering for around 100 children. These child-friendly spaces can also serve as makeshifts schools while UNICEF and its partners work to restore schools.

Restoring education

The cyclone damaged 4,200 schools, affecting the education of 1.1 million children. In order to minimise the disruption to children’s schooling, UNICEF has provided roofing sheets to repair 120 schools and distributed essential learning packs. On 3 June, with the exception of one township, all schools in Yangon Division reopened. In the affected townships of Irrawaddy Division, the start of the school year will be delayed until July.