Yangon, Myanmar - Natural disasters are occurring with greater frequency and intensity around the world, and Myanmar is no exception.  Many parts of the country have been devastated by flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Komen in July, further exacerbated by heavy monsoon rains.

But the crisis has also brought people together to respond to the challenge.   In many flood affected areas volunteers from UNFPA’s Youth Information Corner Programme (YIC) have been on the frontline of the emergency rapid response.  YIC volunteer Ko Win Tin Aung’s house was only accessible by boat after the floods, and many of the other volunteers’ homes were under water, yet they have been assisting local authorities to provide relief and hope to other flood survivors.

The Sarmalauk Village YIC team travelled to Ohn Pin Su Village with Daw Yu Myat Mun of UNFPA.  On board was precious cargo - 50 UNFPA Dignity Kits for vulnerable women and girls in flood affected communities, just one of several such missions.

Dignity Kits contain essential items for female hygiene and safety, including sanitary pads, underwear and other hygiene related items, and protect the integrity of women and girls by reducing their vulnerability to gender-based violence in times of crises. 

During the boat trip the team could see the devastation caused by the floods which had swollen the Ban Hlang River, flooding houses and farmland. Upon arrival the team witnessed first-hand the steadfast resilience of the local community as they pulled together to build a flood defence to avoid potential flooding to houses in low lying areas. YIC volunteers enthusiastically joined in this task.

As the team went further into the village they visited the local primary school, which is being used as a temporary site for a mobile health clinic.  At the clinic YIC volunteers provided information about reproductive health, as well as distributed Dignity Kits.  By end August it is estimated that at least 2,000 Dignity Kits will have been distributed in the seven most affected states and regions of Myanmar. An additional 12,000 Dignity Kits are in the pipeline for distribution in the coming weeks. 

Daw Phoo Ngun, 6 months pregnant as of August, lost everything in the floods. She said: “When we saw the youth volunteers coming into our village, we were very happy. We have never received this kind of assistance before. They have helped us as much as they can, and we really appreciate it.”

WATCH: Video on Myanmar Youth volunteering in communities hit by devastating floods