Timely aid transforms despair into hope for Aung’s family

Aung’s life was once simple and based on his hard work. He lives with his wife, mother-in-law, 13-year-old daughter, and 5-year-old son. “Before the earthquake, I worked as a farmer to support my family. My wife ran a grocery store at home,” he says. His daughter is now in grade 7, and his son just started kindergarten this year.

But one afternoon, everything changed.

“It was a day like any other, peaceful and routine. I was resting after work. My son was playing in the living room when suddenly the earthquake struck,” Aung says.

As the walls began to tremble, he acted on instinct. “I immediately rushed to my son and shielded him with my body,” he recalls. Outside their room, the house groaned and walls tumbled. Inside, his wife, applying Thanakha (a traditional cosmetic) in the inner room, was caught under collapsing bricks.

“I heard her cry for help,” Aung says. “With my son safe outside, I called for our neighbors, and together we freed her from the rubble. Her spine was badly hurt, and she couldn’t stand on her own.”

The earthquake destroyed the family’s home, leaving only ruins behind. Night after night, Aung’s family slept outside on benches. He says, “With my wife injured, I had to take her to the hospital, look after my children, and I couldn’t work. Every day was a struggle.”

They set up a temporary shelter at the front of their house, using tarps for cover. “These tarps did not protect us fully from rain,” Aung recalls. “Whenever it rained heavily, I moved my injured wife somewhere dry. For a month and a half, we had to struggle a lot.”

The hardships stretched on. “I had to take out loans to repair our home,” he says. “We’re still dealing with debt, but rebuilding our shelter was essential.”

When hope seemed distant, help came in the form of cash assistance. “Soon after our neighbors told us that World Vision and LIFE would help,” Aung says, “we received 360,000 Myanmar Kyats. It was a huge help, we could pay for some of my wife’s medical treatment, and since school was starting, we used some of the money for our children’s school fees.”

For Aung, the support was invaluable. “When I heard about the cash assistance, I was very happy. We were going through a hard time. The cash assistance made a big difference for us when we needed it most.”

The impact of the assistance went beyond Aung’s family. Others in his community also received support. “This cash support was not only a great help to me, but also to my neighbors whose houses were destroyed or damaged,” he says. “They, too, felt joyful to receive assistance when they needed it most. Some used the money to fix house walls or roofs, even if they couldn’t repair everything. Others spent the cash on food and household expenses, since they had to stop working.”

Looking back, Aung feels grateful for the support. “I would like to sincerely thank the donors who provided this cash assistance. Their support arrived at exactly the right time when we were facing great difficulties. We are truly grateful and deeply appreciative of their help.”

Though many challenges lie ahead, Aung remains hopeful. “We face ongoing challenges in rehabilitation, like making sure my wife recovers quickly and continuing to support our children’s education. I believe we can overcome these obstacles,” Aung says.

With support from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), World Vision, together with the partners LIFE and MBC, has provided multipurpose cash assistance (MPCA) to families and children affected by the earthquake in the Aungmyaythazan and Kyaukse townships of Mandalay. World Vision’s cash assistance aims to alleviate the suffering of affected families by providing immediate relief and recovery support, helping them buy essentials, cover medical expenses, and repair their homes.

“The earthquake caused widespread devastation in Kyaukse Township, destroying many homes, business centres, and religious buildings, and forcing some businesses to close,” says the WV Project Coordinator of the DEC project. “Through the DEC’s support, we have provided cash assistance to affected families in Aungmyaythazan and Kyaukse townships in the Mandalay Region”.

The 7.7 earthquake hit central Myanmar on 28th March 2025 caused widespread damage to homes, schools, health centres and public infrastructure in Mandalay and Sagaing. The earthquake compounds an already dire humanitarian situation where nearly 20 million people already needed humanitarian assistance across the country due to prolonged conflict, recurring natural disasters and economic collapse.

The wider World Vision earthquake response is providing live-saving relief assistance to the children and their families affected by the earthquake. Through our humanitarian efforts, both immediate relief and long-term recovery, we aim to support 500,000 people, including 172,000 children. As of 8 July 2025, WV has reached 360,457 people affected by the earthquake, including 111,773 children (61,143 girls, 50,630 boys).