Food for Smiles - No tears from Hunger, Myanmar WCWB

Myanmar, International World Chefs Day 2013, World Chefs Without Borders

Over 90.000 meals, Wells, Solar Lights, Clothing & Adidas Shoe for 500 displaced people which lost everything first week of October 2013.

500 Rakhine & Kaman Myanmar citizens were displaced, lost their houses and livelihood over the night in the first week of October. 115 families including 226 men, 261 female and 73 children were effected from the sudden, overnight loss. The Myanmar Government came in quick with “at cost’ wood and cash direct into the hands of each family to buy the wood, enough for a new house.

Charity funds that save lives

World Chefs Without Borders ( WCWB ) funds and partners contribution(Foundation Life, Celle - Germany, Hapag Lloyd Cruise Lines, Europe Tour Operator s, Rakhine Groups & Friends in Yangon & Singapore, Business groups from Thandwe, Yangon, Singapore & Germany, also individual donors ), came in quick after first coordination meetings with the Thandwe District authorities and District Chief at the side-line of the Union Tourism Minister meeting in Thandwe on 12.10.2013,- WCWB following the words, ethical standards and clear guidlines of Myanmar s President Thein Sein, on equality of each Myanmar Citizen.

Coordination was made after an assessment of the needs,- for a mixed support of Food Basket and Household Goods to each family in need. With the aim to restore their normal living conditions as soon as possible and to enable them to contribute to a positive Rakhine State development.  Special attention here was given by World Chefs Without Borders to children and students to support their quick return and problem free study at the primary and higher education schools in Thandwe District.

Mission agenda

On 24.10. household goods were shipped from WCWB stores in Yangon through the Rakhine mountains to Thandwe administration stores.

On 29.10.2013 members of WCWB purchased all for the “Food Basket “ needed items in Thandwe (WFP Food Basket = Rice ( starch ), Salt, Cooking Oil, Beans ). Through special contribution a set of  school books and pens for students was possible through European Tour Operator donations.

On 31.10.2013 a team of International WCWB members in Thandwe started with cars and trucks, supported & accompanied by the authorities of Thandwe District to the first villages affected, as Pauktaw, Shwelee, Depyukyaing, where the villagers waited at the Village Schools as well Monasteries, most still living there or under plain plastic canvas next to their destroyed house, some were already in half finished (roof on ) new houses – carpenter works all over in full swing.

With family name lists Rakhine and Kaman Myanmar Citizen were called and Food Basket and Household items direct handed over by the WCWB members into the villagers hands.     

WCWB & Partners contribution per family:

48 kg rice, 9,5 Ltr cooking oil, 8,5 kg Beans, 2,3 kg Salt

2 Seaman warm Jackets,

Child and women clothing

1 pair of new Adidas Sport Shoes

          1 bigger – professional Solar Lamp (on the way to villages still )

1 set of school exercise books and pens for the students

Value to each family is around 332 $ US (x 115 families = 38.180 $ US total donation value)

Mission continues:

After consultations with the villagers and district municipal there is still a big need in Pauktaw village for support to clean water wells, as the existing wells got partly destroyed and some got oil in making them not to use for the mostly farmers.  

Water Well Donations are in Urgent need:

Here World Chefs Without Borders is looking into the matter now in details and how to ensure quick the establishment of water wells for drinking water for the people as well their animals.

Over 90.000 meals, a 3 month food support project by WCWB:

World Chefs Without Borders could ensure enough funds for a three month “ food support “ to these families in Rakhine State,- despite the fact that the rice harvest is near,- it would only disrupt the farmers living ability after 3 to 4 month, if they would need to eat up their new harvest direct now,- no time to rebuild sustainable their live and achieve normal living conditions in dignity, let alone the freedom of education to their children.

A main aim of WCWB is to support such sustainable living, as well to show commitment and friendship to the families and their young generation that there are friends around to help when help and friendship is needed. The next food donation mission will be for December & than for January. Supporters and friends of Rakhine are welcome to support or active hand over.

The next WCWB – Myanmar mission already in progress and pipeline:

1. WCWB,- 9 Draeger anaesthetics machines & Monitors from Germany arrived as donation through WCWB Myanmar by Dr Dirk & DB Schenker for Rakhine Hospital Sittwe and two Child Hospitals in Yangon, at a value of over 60.000 $ US.

2. A WCWB - German Interplast Dr s team will do free charity operations on Thyroid & Cleft Pallets & Burns at “ Sittwe State Hospital “ 24.11. to 7.12.2013 arrangements are here at final stage by WCWB Myanmar, Ministry of Health, UN OCHA, WHO, Rakhine State Government, Rakhine civil society groups and mixed religious groups of Rakhine State.

 3. The WCWB – Myanmar ENT ear Drs team just left after 1 week charity operations including Cochlea Implants to children. This project is going into a new dimension for 2014 with similar operations in Yangon. As well than the establishment of an ENT Unit at south Rakhine – Thandwe District Hospital with equipment support and the proposed establishment of a permanent ENT unit there, supporting 1,5 million people in south Rakhine as well the international Tourism Industries guests to nearby beach destinations. The German ENT Drs working under WCWB arrangements and Union Ministry of Health s Drs permits. ENT equipment is in progress through Dr Klaus Exner - Frankfurt and Lufthansa Hamburg – Germany.

******Special thanks******

We like to thank the International volunteer WCWB – Chefs team as:Chef Gunther & Elke Feldmann – Germany, Chef Chris – Australia, Chef Gunter – Costa Rica, Chef Somchai – Thailand, Chefs from Thandwe – Rakhine, Chef Marcel – Switzerland, Chef Jochen – Austria, Chef Guenter Kreft – Germany, Chef Zhang Yum Quing - China. All worked very hard carry rice bags, managed, arranged equal & transparent donation into the hands of each family.

The smiling faces of the mothers, children and farmerson this day, which just lost everything they had,- was a big reward for the Chefs and all involved driving back home with the feeling to have eased the live of 500 people,- When you want to save the world s children,-- start with the first one,-- as a saying goes.  

We thank to all volunteers, the International Chefs of World Chefs Without Borders team, the authorities of Thandwe District and the valuable donors to enable WCWB to be at hand in Myanmar this moment and give a hand to people in need on a short term program – ensure their sustainable positive development, in a rapid transition of Myanmar and Rakhine society, yours

Oliver E Soe Thet

Global Board member, World Chefs Without Borders

Sustainable Development Rakhine,- Group

Yangon, 1.11.2013,- Union of Myanmar