Burma Cyclone Relief Committee (Toronto) is pleased to inform that generous donors from across Canada have contributed over $170,000 for aid to Burma in response to Cyclone Nargis.

The Committee especially acknowledged and appreciated all heartfelt contributions. A few special examples: Last week fund raising by a 7 years old girl – she asked for cyclone donation as her birthday gifts and raised/donated $335 for cyclone relief, this week, a senior Canadian citizen who lives in Toronto donated $20,000 to the Burmese Buddhist Association of Ontario (BBAO) for Burma cyclone relief. It appears to be the biggest individual private citizen donation in Canada for the Burma cyclone relief.

Zaw Wai Kyaw, Chairperson of the Burma Cyclone Relief Committee noted, “It is touching to see the compassion and generosity of senior citizens and school children; this is a great humanity!”

The Burmese Buddhist Temple in Toronto has been a center of cyclone relief effort in Canada and Burma Buddhist Association of Ontario (BBAO), a Toronto-based charitable organization, accepts donations on behalf of Burma Cyclone Relief Committee and the temple. 

Approximately $8 million have been donated by Canadians through various organizations such as World Vision, Red Cross and Humanitarian Coalition. The Government of Canada has committed $14 million to respond to the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis.

Over 140,000 people were confirmed killed or missing after the deadly Cyclone Nargis on May 2nd and 3rd while 2.4 million people in Southern Burma are in need of help.

The Asean-led Post Nargis Joint Assessment (PONJA) assessment team’s latest surveys showed that 42 percent of all food stocks in the affected areas have been destroyed. It said 22 percent of households reported psychological stress. Dr. Puji Pujono, a member of the Triparte Core Group (Asean, UN and Burmese Military Regime) to undertake the recovery and reconstruction of the cyclone affected areas, said on June 26th, only 45 percent of the people obtained food through humanitarian distributions.

The second flash appeal conference for the immediate recovery for Cyclone Nargis victims in Burma will be held in New York on July 10. The first flash appeal was held here on May 25 when the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) requested for US$201 million. Last month, the Burmese Military Regime had said that US$11 billion was needed to undertake reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Dr. Joseph Wong, Chairperson of the Disaster Relief Action Group (DRAG) pointed out at recent joint (Burma & China) press conference in Toronto that “the economic toll of the disasters in Burma and China tops $20 billion. What we're talking about (fundraising efforts so far) is certainly not enough to help the people. The international family has to chip in (more) together," he said.

Further contact:

Zaw Wai Kyaw, Chair, Burma Cyclone Relief Committee (Toronto) at 416-358-2318.

Burma Cyclone Relief Committee (Toronto) includes Burma Buddhist Association of Ontario, Burma Canadian Association of Ontario, Burmese Chinese Association of Ontario, Burmese Students Democratic Organization, National League for Democracy LA Canada Branch, Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma, Canadian Campaign for Free Burma and individual supporters.