Login | Register | Subscribe to the GG RSS Feed

Myanmar Disaster Relief – Volunteer Vacations Can Help

1
2
3
4
5
GG Staff | 05/06/2008 - 09:21 | 4 comments

Girlfriend getaways for the greater good

Vacation time doesn't always need to be me time - especially if you've got some spare vacation hours this year. Pack up your girlfriends and head somewhere you can really make a difference, from a region needing year-round assistance (check our our volunteer vacation ideas) or somewhere that's been brutally hit.

Cyclone Damage in Myanmar (AP)Cyclone Damage in Myanmar (AP)Myanmar is reeling from a cyclone that wiped out over 10 000 people, and many more are missing. Televised warnings gave too little notice, especially in a country where not everyone has tv, according to AP News:

"The government has given no explanation for the high death toll, but most people in the worst-hit region live in fragile bamboo homes with thatch or zinc roofs, which would have been swept way with their inhabitants by the onrushing tidal surge."

Aid agencies are still gathering workers and supplies, so if you can book some time off this spring or summer, pack your bags and head out to help. Taking a girlfriend, sister, or family member with you will give you a friendly person to debrief with at night, but don't expect much quality time in the day. The infrastructure has been hard hit, and you'll be putting your construction, medical, and administrative skills to the test.

For information about volunteer opportunities in Myanmar, contact the Red Cross, Save the Children or Doctors Without Borders.

To learn more about the cyclone in Myanmar, try one of these accredited news sites:

AP News

Reuters

Fox News

Related Stories

Volunteer Travel Hot Spots
Volunteer Vacations
Travel Alerts - Preempting Vacation Disaster
Rice Shortage Affects Cuisine Around the World
Suffolk Virginia Tornadoes - Forget Traveling Here Today

Rate This Post

Average: 5 (2 votes)

Bookmark This Post

  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Magnoliacom
  • Newsvine
  • Furl
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • Yahoo
  • Technorati

Comments

If you're frustrated that

Submitted by Jen (not verified) on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 08:59.
If you're frustrated that you don't have a response yet, I can understand. Right now the agencies are still dealing with a lot of paperwork to get into Myanmar. However, once they are in, they need names and applications on file so they can call on you when they are ready to go. If your vacation dates are more structured, why don't you contact an agency which runs volunteer programs all the time, you'll be able to make a difference somewhere without driving your boss nuts waiting to find out when you're going. Good luck!

come on. get real! the

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 05/08/2008 - 05:31.
come on. get real! the official agencies can't even get into mynamar yet - the government isn't giving anyone permission to help there. it's a terrible situation, but if you want to help you're beffer off sending money to a charity you know will be doing something. and if you really want to do a volunteer vacation, there are thousands of agencies begging for help all the time.

Cheers, GG! It's nice to

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/07/2008 - 22:14.
Cheers, GG! It's nice to see a travel publication stepping up to the plate and telling people how they can make a difference :)

Okay....I have sent an email

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/07/2008 - 17:17.
Okay....I have sent an email to all of the organizations that you recommend; in regards to volunteering my time to help those in Myanmar. I am ready to go. Have Passport; Solid Head on Shoulders; and Heart in the Right Place. I'm ready. Now what? Why are the organizations not returning my emailed offerings to volunteer?

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Copy the characters (respecting upper/lower case) from the image.
Register

Membership is free and with it you can set up a profile, vote on stories and post your opinions.

Already a member?
Login
Not a member? Join!
Register

Most Recent Comments

  • On Canada Goes Green for St. Patrick's Day, Julia Rosien said "Great to meet you as well, Terri. And yes, we adore the Bay of Fundy :-) While I'll agree it's no longer parka weather in your neck of the woods, it's not quite string bikini weather either. Shall we toast to it and let the beer warm us up? Happy St Paddy's Day! Julia"

  • On Canada Goes Green for St. Patrick's Day, Terri said "hey Travel girls, great to hear that you love our Bay of Fundy here on the east coast of Canada as much as you love Tim Horton's ...and, as a Bay of Fundy chick, I love the green tide analogy. For sure, there will be lots of fun times down here around St Paddy's day but I just want to send you a correction to say you certainly won't be needing a parka? to visit at this time of year. It's +8 to +10 degress Celius (that's in the 50s F for our American friends) - definitely well above parka weather. haha So nice that the birds are chirping and the maple sap is flying out of the trees and, ultimately, on to our pancakes. Happy spring! Terri the Bay of Fundy blogger bayoffundy.blogspot.com "

  • On Bonaire - Landsailing or Diving, Ann Phelan said "I love when folks visit our island and immerse themselves in the very cool diversions offered..thanks for sharing."

  • On Tour Bus Crash in Tortola – Caribbean Princess Passenger Dies, Sad and heavy heart said "On a note about the roads of Totrola which are steep, and windy and narrow, all the more reason that tour vehicles should have regular safety checks, SEATBELTS (which dirvers should mandate use or not allow passengers to continue with the tour, driver's should go slow, and Princess Cruise Lines should do extensive background checks, and not hire people with the nick-name of Crash-Dummy."

  • On Tour Bus Crash in Tortola – Caribbean Princess Passenger Dies, Jan said "We were also on the ship with our friends, had spent the day at the beach in Tortola where the slider on my Omega came off, "broke" and lost. I had just purchased it on board the ship the day prior. But nothing can compare to the loss of a family member. The Captain had everyones attention for the announcement. Captain Draper done a great job informing the passengers of the accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rumphrey family."