Ai Ma

Location

Cyclone Nargis

Livelihood

Food & Water

School

Church

i Love Myanmar Team

Conclusion

ILM donated houses lining Emmanuel Road in Aima

Village: Aima Tract: Pyin Aa Lan Township: Laputta

Total population: 1035 Households: 240

Village Head: Augustine

Farmers: 22%

Fisherman: 32%

Others: 46%

School Level: Primary and Middle Number of Students: 239

Number of Teachers: 7

Number of Churches: 1

Church Attendance: ~1,700

Village Christian population: ~95%*

Latitude: 15°46.379' N Longitude: 94°52.442' E

Helipad: No

Storm Surge: ~7 ft

Houses destroyed: ~99%

Lives Lost: 119

Water: Although well water is light, it is drinkable

Crops: Expect 50% of normal harvest. Not sufficient till next harvest.

I Love Myanmar involvement: 50 houses have been donated and completed

*Aima is 95% Roman Catholic

Location

Aima is the largest village in the area. The village begins at the river and stretches inland for at least a kilometer where the rice fields and majority of newly built houses are. Like other villages in the area, they faced fierce winds when Cyclone Nargis came ashore nearby.

Cyclone Nargis

Storm surge was 7 ft in this area and fierce winds left only 1 house standing in the village. 119 lives were lost to the cyclone.

Livelihood

With 50 houses donated by ILM and 80 donated by World Concern, 110 families are still left without homes. Most of these still live in temporary shelters that will probably be “permanent” until they make enough to modify their own houses or if additional donors arrive.

For farming this year, the whole village has united together to work the fields. Whatever they are able to harvest will be shared amongst all in the village. However despite planting 339 acres, a harvest only half of what their fields normally yield is expected.

The fishermen in this village have received boats and are able to fish.

Aima has also come up with projects for the village that will last 3 years. Those without a means of making a living will participate in these projects. These projects will provide an income for those who need it at the same time improving the village.


	ILM donated houses

Food & Water

ADRA have been supplying food to Aima and will do so until the end of November. Although they will be harvesting in December, however even a normal harvest is not sufficient to feed the whole village, now with only 50% of the fields harvestable, villagers doubt the supply of rice will last till the next season.

Wells have been yielding water that is very “light” but is drinkable.

School

Aima’s middle school serves a number of villages, including Amat Kalay, Amat Gyi, Kun Pauk and Yii Cho Kan. All students from surrounding villages walk to school every day. The school currently has 239 students and 7 teachers; however prior to the cyclone the school had over 500 students.

New school building built out of wood with zinc roof

Church

Aima’s Catholic Church serves 4 villages and over 400 families (approximately 1,700 individuals) gather each week for service lead by Father Dennis Myntzaw.

The church was completely destroyed during the cyclone but is in the progress of being rebuilt.

The father’s home is one of few houses still standing in the village and is now acting as a temporary school.

Roman Catholic Church building destroyed by Cyclone Nargis

Rebuilding Progress

Saung Hay Mann Construction Company has completed the 50 houses donated by ILM and are in the process of applying a protective coating over exterior wooden walls.

Buildings were found to be satisfactory and up to standard. Villagers were very happy to receive such houses.

Left: ILM Staff Mawite examining petroleum based protective coating to be applied on houses

i Love Myanmar Team

The ILM team was able to gather information about the villages and examine the completed houses.

ILM was also able to meet with Saung Hay Mann Construction Company the first time on site where construction was taking place; a number of important matters were discussed during the meeting.

ILM meeting with Saung Hay Mann Construction Group

Conclusion

Being one of the largest villages in the area, Aima has a notable NGO presence. In addition, with few Roman Catholic villages around, Aima has been able to obtain sufficient funding and assistance from the Roman Catholic Church. Amongst all the villages visited in the area, Aima is probably in the best condition and ILM should focus its resources on other more needy villages.

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