OCHA Situation Report No. 44
Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis
7 August 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. Three months after the disaster, delivery of assistance remains a
challenge, particularly in hard-toreach areas of the affected Ayeyarwady
delta. Concerted efforts are ongoing to ensure that the basic needs and
restoration of livelihoods of some 2.4 million people affected by cyclone
Nargis are addressed. The humanitarian organizations have requested
additional US$ 281 million through the UN Revised Appeal to address these
urgent priorities until April 2009.

2. The Tripartite Core Group (TCG), consisting of Government of the Union
of Myanmar (GoUM), ASEAN and the UN, held a meeting today to discuss
Post-Nargis Recovery Planning (PONREP) and Integrated Regional
Coordination (IRCO) Hubs.

3. The United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the
Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar, Tom=E1s Ojea Quintana, completed his
four days visit to Myanmar today. He met with TCG and UN agencies to get
first-hand information on relief and early recovery efforts in the
affected areas. In his visits to Labutta, Kyaukalat, Pyinsalu and Kyet
Shar, he took note of the progress made in the aftermath of the disaster.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

The following information is provided by the clusters, which meet
regularly to coordinate the humanitarian response of national and
international NGOs, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and United Nations
agencies. More detailed information on cluster coordination, maps, events,
meeting schedules, contact lists and press releases are available at:
http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org.

3. EDUCATION

Needs Assessments and Analysis

- A team for school construction design including a UNICEF architect and
Ministry of Education engineers concluded the first field assessment in
Bogalay and Mawlamyinegyun. Seven schools will be built as models for
future construction of building back better, safer and more child-friendly
schools. Initial findings show that schools that withstood the cyclone are
those built with input from structural engineers, and the structures built
facing north withstood strong south west winds better. This week, the team
is working in Pyapon, Dedaye and Kyaiklat.

Overall Achievements and Response

- Some 960 damaged schools in ten townships in Ayeyarwady and eleven in
Yangon have been repaired by using over 102,000 roofing sheets.
  - Supports are provided to 916 Temporary Safe Learning Spaces (TSLS),
including 150 tented schools, through partnerships with local Parent
Teacher Associations and contractors.

- School furniture (e.g. desks, chairs and blackboards) has been provided
to 145 schools in Labutta, Bogale, Kawhmu and Kungyangon townships.

- Some 550 Schools-in-a-Box and 570 recreation kits have been distributed,
potentially benefiting 44,000 children. 253 kits have also been
distributed to support Early Childhood Development activities for 10,000
children under five.

- Packages of essential learning materials (e.g. exercise books, pencils,
erasers, a ruler and school bag) have been provided for 150,000 children.

- 60,000 sets of Grade 1 textbooks and 76,000 sets of Life Skills
textbooks for Grades 1-5 have been sent for distribution to schools in
affected townships, as well as 4,737 teachers' kits and 348 school kits.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=FD30F33DE57339AA8525749E00687884&file=Full_Report.pdf


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