New Dawn relief

Project background

It has been three years since Health & Hope Myanmar (HHM) opened food banks in the five most concentrated refugee camps where thousands of refugees live on the Myanmar border in Siaha district, Mizoram State.

Although host communities have been generous in lending their land for farming, only limited areas are available for refugees to cultivate, and for the majority of the refugees, the crop production from these lands alone is not sufficient to sustain them.

The food banks provide a revolving store of rice and other essential food items which is provided to refugee and vulnerable households at a significantly subsidised cost. They are managed locally by a small leadership committee.

Recent activity

Sadly there has been a further influx of displaced people into the border areas and emergency support is required in addition to the re-stocking of all six food banks which will be completed this month (June). Our teams in both locations have been preparing supplies and planning distribution to the areas in most need. Funds from generous donors and accumulated from the foodbanks themselves mean that all food banks will be re-stocked and a limited supply of emergency food rations can be distributed. This activity will take place in June and early July. This will be difficult given the persistent monsoon rain. 

Food surveys will be conducted among beneficiary communities to assess food security and levels of malnutrition. We will continue to support the Food banks through 2026 as funds allow. During this time we will re-evaluate whether the project will continue beyond this point.

Our continued grateful appreciation for supporting this work in this forgotten and unseen crisis.