The First Project of MAM

Background

Hlaingthayar and Shwepytar are the poorest townships of Yangon.  These townships have been set up by the authorities, who moved 350,000 people out of the main city. Housing is very basic and these townships were among the worst hit by cyclone Nargis in Yangon division. After Nargis thousands found their houses and belongings destroyed. In addition hundreds of families who were worst hit by the cyclone in the Ayawaddy delta, left the delta and resettled in Yangon, because they lost their means of income and don’t want to stay in the place where they lost their family members. Hlaingthayar and Shwepythar are the most common places for them to settle down because they are the cheapest to find accomodation.

Poverty generates poor health and malnutrition. And poor health on itself is an important cause of poverty. Stichting Medical Action (Myanmar) concentrates on a package of health and nutrition activities for the poorest in Myanmar. Medical Action Myanmar feeds acute severe malnourished children, treats severely ill patients who cannot afford to pay for their health care needs and provides family planning and preventive health activities. In addition MAM promotes income generation activities for the patients whose health improved after treatment, in order to sustain improved health and prevent to drop back in the vicious circle of poverty and disease.

Medical Action (Myanmar) staff have extensive experience in medical and nutrition activities. Next to curative and preventive health activities the staff provide training to starting health professionals from other NGO’s and CBO’s.