It has been two weeks since a 7.7-magnitude earthquake shook Myanmar on March 28, sending tremors that were felt as far away as Hanoi in Vietnam more than 2,000 km away and Thailand’s capital Bangkok over 1,000 km from the epicentre.

The country, already in tatters because of an ongoing civil war, is still reeling from the devastating effects of the natural disaster. More than 3,500 have been reported to have been killed, over 5,000 injured and some 17 million are in need of aid to rebuild their homes and their lives.

Adding to the situation are aftershocks. Radion International, which sent a three-man team to Myanmar reported that on the evening of April 10, a 3.9 magnitude earthquake shook Mandalay where the team was. 

“All the team members are safe,” said Eugene Wee, founder of Radion who is part of the disaster response team.

“The team is continuing to surveying the impacted areas to assess the extent of the damage and identify communities with urgent needs.

“The situation remains urgent, with thousands of families now living in makeshift shelters cobbled together with salvaged materials.

“We have pushed a small tranche medical supplies to resupply local doctors with emergency medication, comprising of IV sets, injections, antibiotics and essential medicines.”

Radion International’s disaster response team on the ground in Mandalay with medical supplies. Photo courtesy of Radion International.

To follow Radion’s progress, click on this link to join the organisation’s WhatsApp chat. To support this work, contact Radion International for details (please indicate “Crisis relief” in the bank transfer to ensure your giving goes to this effort).

Radion International is one of many Christian organisations that are actively helping survivors in Myanmar. Here are five others whose work on the ground you can support now.

1. Grace Baptist Ministries

Who they are

Grace Baptist Ministries is part of Grace Baptist Church and is the church’s Myanmar ministry. Started in 2022, Grace Baptist Ministries has 500 members.

What they are doing

They have started a cash collection from church members that will go to helping some of their friends affected by the earthquake. The funds will be used to buy drinking water, vitamins and medicines, as well as food.

Contact

Pastor Thang Gin Piang
+65 8890 3994

Ps Piang is a Pastor at Grace Baptist Ministries. His uncle, Ps Neng Za Kot, is a Pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Yangon. Ps Neng will use the donations to help various churches in Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay which were nearest to the earthquake’s epicentre in Sagaing.

The closing date for the collection is April 11, 2025. If there is enough interest, another collection will be conducted.

2. Crossworks Helping Hearts

Who they are

Crossworks Helping Hearts is a group of volunteers brought together by investor-entrepreneur Jeshua Soh from his company, Crossworks, and his network. They coordinate and support relief and recovery efforts.

What they are doing

Crossworks Helping Hearts is working with organisations to deliver food, essential goods and electronics; provide medical aid and shelter; and offer rescue efforts to territories like Sagaing, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw.

Their approach is to identify gaps, as well as efficiencies that can be achieved by working with different teams. In this way, they hope to avoid duplicating efforts or underutilising capacity. They hope to expand their list of partners from eight to 12 in the coming week.

Their prerogative is to balance immediate relief and rescue efforts with longer term community and capability development which will attract far less interest and donations, but is no less important to a country struggling to get back on its feet.

So far, more than 30 volunteers have been deployed to Yangon to purchase, pack and send goods north. They operate out of an ex-employee’s warehouse in Mandalay and are supported by three vehicles and three volunteer trucks.  The number of volunteers on the ground will likely reach 100 by mid-April.

All funds received will go to direct purchases with receipts and an open ledger for clear accountability of how much funds were received, by whom, when and how they are spent. There will be no direct cash support to third parties.

The groups they are currently supporting are:

• Myanmar Kitchen
• Youth Resource Association
• Medical Action Myanmar
• Mercy Relief
• Arriya Maggin
• Relief SG
• Myanmar Red Cross
• Nanda Myittar Rescue Team

Contact

Jeshua Soh
+65 8816 6105
@jeshuasoh on Telegram
LinkedIn profile

3. CBN Myanmar

Medical care is one of the things CBN Myanmar offers to quake survivors.

Who they are

CBN Myanmar has been active in Myanmar for more than 10 years.

Their mission is to reach the lost and prepare disciples through equipping and empowering the local churches to do missions in a holistically approach. Their goal is to achieve a time in history when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)

There are three main foci of the ministry: Media, reaching out to needy families and children with humanitarian programmes, and family discipleship. They are registered as a non-profit organisation in Myanmar.

What they are doing

CBN Myanmar’s relief team has deployed two medical teams in rotation, as well as distributed food care packages to the most vulnerable.

In the first week, they provided food to over 1,000 people to last them two weeks. The aim is to reach 2,500 families. Their teams have treated over 600 patients for issues that include diabetes, hypertension, infections and earthquake-related injuries. Some 1,000 families sleeping outdoors also received mats and mosquito nets.

Relief packages for those affected.

Alongside physical help, CBN Myanmar counsellors have prayed with and supported over 120 people, offering emotional and spiritual healing. They have started engaging children as well through activities that help them express and release their emotional trauma.

Beyond food, water and shelter, survivors are in need of emotional help to heal from the trauma of the disaster.

There are plans to look at trauma healing support for those overwhelmed by loss and fear. Long-term infrastructural aid such as providing clean water and sanitation, installation of water filtration systems and toilets are being looked into because many children are suffering from diarrhoea and skin issues.

Contact

Naw Hnin
+95 9 979 877422.

4. Word of Life Family Centre

Who they are

Word of Life Family Centre is a registered religious society that meets every Sunday at the premises of Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer. They have a weekly regular attendance of about 80. 

What they are doing

A collection was started by church members and their friends to help those affected by the earthquake. The funds have been disbursed to resource several church groups in Myanmar to provide relief such as food, water and solar power to affected areas like Mandalay and Inle.

Contact

Ps Marip La Aung (Joshua), main pastor at Word of Life Family Centre
+65 96322092

5. Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Myanmar

Who are they

YWAM Myanmar has a training and discipleship centre in Kalaw, Shan State. They have about 75 staff spread across seven locations in the country. Most are Myanmar nationals.

They are widely connected with different church networks across the country which opens many doors to serve those most affected.

What are they doing

YWAM Myanmar has a team in Yangon that coordinates and manages their efforts, ensuring that donations they receive from all over the world get to the locals. The funds raised will go to providing food, clean water, temporary shelter, mosquito nets and some trauma healing.  

When the earthquake happened, YWAM Myanmar sent a team to bring aid to Mandalay and Sagaing. A second team joined them a few days later. Both have since returned to Yangon to prepare for the next phase of aid.

Another team from Kalaw will be in Inle for a month to help with relief and rebuilding work. A team will be going to Mandalay to work alongside churches in Mandalay and Sagaing.

Contact

Beat Kipfer
+95 9 508 1633 (WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram)
+65 9346 4524 (mobile phone)
[email protected]

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