Despite roadblocks and bad weather conditions DanChurchAid's partners are able to gain access to some of the worst hit areas in Burma.
DanChurchAid's local partners are continuing their work in getting the relief supplies out to the hardest affected areas in Burma's southern delta.
Four trucks loaded with rice, noodles, blankets, medicine and plastic sheets have with the help of local monks just reached six monasteries.
'People are very grateful for the aid. They prayed for me, and begged me to return', reports the local partner.
The monks have registered all the homeless families, and were calling on them one by one. Each family received relief according to how many members they are.
Local networks are getting the aid through
The need for help is enormous and only a small amount of UN supplies have been distributed here, reports a local partner, who for security reasons must remain anonymous.
DanChurchAid's partners are buying supplies in Burma, which they distribute through their well-established network, and they are therefore able to reach far into the affected areas. So far more than 100.000 people have received aid by these means.
The local partner reports: 'The whole village is like one big refuge camp. People came running along the roadside every time they heard a car, in the hope that they would receive some aid'.
Apart from the monks some volunteer medical students were also helping by distributing medicine to the distressed inhabitants.
Bad weather and a massive need for relief
The delivery of the relief was not unproblematic. Because of the bad weather conditions, one of the trucks got stuck at the edge of the road and had to be emptied of its cargo before it was able to move on.
At the moment it is monsoon season in Burma and it is raining and storming quite heavily. There is a fear that a new cyclone will hit the country this week.
The need for relief is still massive in the areas that have been hit by the cyclone.
'A couple of hours after the distribution of our relief, I met a monk from one of the small islands. He was wet, shaking and crying. On his island only 800 people out of 10.000 have survived. On the island, the monastery, which is built by bricks, is the only building left standing, without its roof though. The monk asked me for help, and I immediately supplied him with some plastic sheets, 800 packets of noodles and 3 sacks of rice - and I promised to be back with more relief' reports our clearly shaken partner.