Floodwaters caused by Typhoon Yagi inundate the YMCA’s organic farm in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. (YMCA/CPI)
As one of the countries most vulnerable to the climate emergency, Myanmar is experiencing increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Floods, rising temperatures, cyclones, and drought are wreaking havoc on farming and placing greater pressure on communities already coping with widespread armed conflict.
In September 2024, large swathes of Myanmar were devastated by floods caused by Typhoon Yagi. The floods displaced thousands and destroyed homes, crops, and livestock. Helpless to prevent the destruction of their organic farm. Community Partners International (CPI) partner, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Nay Pyi Taw, mobilized as first responders.
At first, Saw Jackson, the Project Manager and General Secretary of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), Nay Pyi Taw, didn’t think they needed to worry. “I’d seen news about the flooding on social media the day before and thought it was normal,” he explains. “We didn’t believe it would reach us.”
However, he soon realized they were facing something serious. “The flood began around two or three p.m. By five p.m., the area was under water. The water level rose to four or five feet, up to the chest of an average person. Roads were destroyed by the high volume of fast-moving water and landslides.”
He sprang into action. His first thought was for the safety of his staff at the farm. “I told them to move to a safe location first.” He then tried to see if he could get to the farm, but it was too dangerous. “The road was flooded. The water rose from my ankles to my legs. It was so rapid that we had to turn back.”
Before they left, the staff tried to protect what they could. “The roads were submerged, making transportation impossible,” explains Saw Jackson. “They did their best to evacuate the animals, but they didn’t have a vehicle. They were able to drive the cows out onto the road. It was challenging to move some animals because they were scared of the water. Most of the pigs couldn’t be rescued. Unfortunately, more than a hundred chickens were swept away.”
When the floodwaters began to subside, Saw Jackson and his colleagues were able to reach the farm. In 2019, Saw Jackson founded the organic farm with support from CPI to generate income for the organization’s medical clinics and provide nutritious food to local communities. The farm grows organic vegetables and other crops, rears livestock such as cows, goats, pigs, and chickens, and converts its produce into added-value food products it sells locally.
“I felt terrible when I saw the damage,” he reveals. “This was the worst I’ve ever seen. It was so shocking. The most heartbreaking moment was seeing the loss of our livestock. The floodwaters had filled the area like an ocean, with only the tops of the trees visible. We lost three acres of rice. All the wells were flooded and filled with debris. The generators were also submerged, making them impossible to start.”
Many of the farm’s buildings were damaged or destroyed, including their restaurant, a key source of income.
While the farm needed significant repairs, Saw Jackson and his colleagues first turned their attention to the needs of nearby communities. As a charitable organization, the YMCA is known for its local services, including the operation of medical clinics, a preschool, and other forms of community support.
“The most urgent need was food,” he explains. “Many houses were swept away. People had nothing to eat, no clean water, no electricity, no emergency assistance. Roads and bridges were destroyed, so access was difficult. The village administrator contacted us for assistance, reporting that 200 people in their village needed help.”
“With CPI’s support, we provided food and clean water,” Saw Jackson continues. “We were the first responders. The chefs from our farm restaurant prepared rice and meat. We distributed 3,000 meals and water to eight villages in four townships. Despite the damaged roads, we found ways to reach affected areas. Some people waded through the mud to collect the food packages. We continued distributing food and water for four days before other organizations stepped in.”
“During the distribution process, we focused on the most vulnerable groups,” he clarifies. “We selected individuals whose homes had been swept away, or who had lost family members, or families without any source of income.”
While the YMCA’s clinics and preschool were not directly affected by the flooding, they were forced to close for two weeks due to the damage to roads and bridges.
“Once we re-opened the clinics, we focused on providing health services to people affected by flooding,” explains Saw Jackson. “Most were suffering from skin infections and skin rashes. Some had wounds that required treatment. We also offered mobile health services to flood-affected areas of other townships.”
Daw Myint, 60, a patient of the YMCA’s clinic in Yezin Township, only narrowly survived the flood.
“Heavy rain fell that day, so I stayed home,” she recalls. “My neighbors told me that the nearby cornfields had already flooded and urged me to move to a safe location. I felt desperate, but I had nowhere to go.”
“When the water entered our village, we tried to escape,” she continues, “but we were caught in the current. I almost drowned. A man grabbed my shoulder and rescued me. I didn’t have the strength to stand, so he carried me on his back and rode away on a motorbike to escape the floodwaters.”
Daw Myint lost contact with her husband and daughter.
“My husband and daughter were also caught in the rushing water,” she recounts. “They managed to hold onto a tamarind tree in the middle of the village. They both clung to the tree overnight to stay afloat. My daughter begged her father to let her go, but he refused and held her tightly. The rescue team saved them both in the morning and sent them to the nearest relocation center. I didn’t know they were alive. I couldn’t eat or drink during that time. Fortunately, my neighbors found out where they were and told me they were safe.”
When she returned to the village, Daw Myint surveyed the damage. “Although we escaped, our belongings were washed away along with our motorbike,” she reveals. “Our trishaw was also damaged. The flood swept everything away. The water carried silt and mud, which filled our house. Despite the mess, we were fortunate not to lose our home, but the cleaning process took almost a month.”
In the immediate aftermath, Daw Myint turned to the YMCA for help. “I received a food package and essential household items from the YMCA, including a bag of rice, potatoes, beans, toothpaste, and more.”
Once their clinics reopened, Daw Myint and her husband returned for health care. “I have been receiving healthcare services from the YMCA clinic for over two years,” she reveals. “I have diabetes, and my kidneys are damaged. I was treated at a government hospital and was, but I couldn’t afford the cost. Our family does not have a proper daily income. So, I sought care at the YMCA clinic, where services are free. My husband has high blood pressure and visits the clinic as well.”
Once the emergency phase ended, Saw Jackson and his colleagues started work on cleaning up the site of the organic farm.
“Our top priority was the restaurant because it generates quick income,” he confirms. “Thanks to the support we received and our hard work, it reopened on November 1. We provide fresh food and a peaceful, relaxing place for families and friends. It helps generate income to support our clinics.”
“We’ve also planted seasonal fruits and vegetables and two-and-a-half acres of mung beans,” Saw Jackson continues. “For other crops, we haven’t tested the soil yet. We need the results before we’ll know if it’s good for crop production. It’ll then need to be plowed and fertilized with organic fertilizer.”
“We repaired the compound, bought more livestock to repopulate the farm, and cleaned and refilled the fish pond. Some ducks that had been swept away started returning. It was a good sign for us to get some animals back after the flood.”
“Today, we’ve completed 95% of the recovery process,” reveals Saw Jackson. “It’s taken two months. We’re now operating normally, though there are still some things to be repaired and some painting and decorating to finish.”
He attributes their recovery to their resilience and collective spirit.
“We all felt the impact of these losses deeply,” he admits, “but we committed to rebuilding and not allowing ourselves to dwell in despair. With our collective strength, we overcame adversity in a relatively short period of time.”
The September floods were not an isolated event. The area flooded less severely the previous June, and the YMCA organic farm lost crops.
Myanmar is among the world’s countries most vulnerable to climate change. As weather patterns become more extreme, severe flooding has become increasingly frequent. Rising temperatures and worsening seasonal droughts also play havoc with Myanmar’s farming sector. This has contributed to the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises, placing Myanmar among the world’s ten most severe food crises, estimating that about twenty percent (10+ million) of Myanmar’s people are grappling with acute food insecurity.
Communities are shouldering these challenges as they endure escalating armed conflict across much of the country.
Local, community-led solutions, such as those offered by the YMCA in Nay Pyi Taw, are essential in helping communities strengthen resilience and better manage and mitigate the risks posed by global warming.
Interviews have been edited for clarity, brevity and flow.
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