Myanmar Cyclone Nargis Bogale Hub Update No. 1

OVERVIEW & KEY DEVELOPMENTS

- Over twenty donor representatives, including those based in Bangkok, visited Thayaw Chaung and Set San village on 22 October. The donor visit to these villages was organised in conjunction with the expended donor meeting in Yangon on 21 October and was intended to highlight both relatively well-served and also under-served villages. The delegation also met Township Peace and Development council (TPDC), I/LNGOs and UN agencies at the Government Administrative Office in Bogale. Township Medical Officer and the representative of INGO/LNGO and UN agencies based in Bogale presented their activities. Capacities building of LNGOs for long term activities, logistics challenge to access remote areas, and water shortage were highlighted. The TPDC chair also highlighted the importance of permanent shelter reconstruction for future disaster risk reduction.

- Kyun Thar Yar, Kyein Chaung Gyi, Set San, Daunt Gyi, Nga Pyay Ma, Ka Done Ka Ni and Ayar villages tracts are particularly vulnerable to potential water shortage in the dry season. WASH and Health Clusters are coordinating with TPDC in response in these villages, such as constructing tube wells, distributing purified water or water containers, and setting up reverse osmosis water treatment plants.

- In Bogale, most clusters are increasingly focusing on inter-cluster coordination to achieve more effective results. Health Cluster is coordinating with WASH Cluster to minimise water shortage problem and water borne disease. Food Cluster is coordinating with WASH and Shelter Clusters for community based water harvesting, using tarpaulin sheets provided by shelter cluster partners or providing food for work to dig new ponds. Education agencies are also supporting child protection activities through CFS (Child Friendly Space).

- On 17 October, OCHA convened an Inter Cluster Coordination meeting d in Bogale, focusing on Ka Don Ka Ni peninsula. Most clusters are focusing their efforts in underserved areas of the peninsula (Kyein Chaung Gyi, Kyun Thar Yar, Ka Don Ka Ni and Aye Yar). The meeting also highlighted other outstanding needs and vulnerabilities in the peninsula.

- There had been an acute need for coordinating education activities with Township Education Officer (TEO) who had not received information on plans by cluster partners, resulting in a number of instances of overlap. To overcome this issue, the first Education Cluster meeting for Bogale was held on 9 October.