AVSI – Who they are and what they do in Myanmar

AVSI is a non-profit organization founded in 1972 that implements development and humanitarian aid projects in 42 countries. AVSI envisions a world where individuals, aware of their value and dignity, are the protagonists of their own integral development and that of their communities, even in crisis and emergency contexts.

AVSI has been active in Myanmar since 2007, focusing on emergency and development programs across various sectors including education, vocational training, child protection, health and nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), agriculture and livelihoods, women’s empowerment and gender equality, rural development, and disaster risk reduction.

What NEF does with AVSI in Myanmar

Following the double earthquake of magnitudes 7.7 and 6.4 on 28 March in Myanmar, with epicentres in the towns of Mandalay and Sagaing, AVSI’s team in Myanmar promptly launched a support intervention campaign for the affected population. Initial activities carried out by AVSI’s team for the earthquake-affected population include the distribution of food and non-food items (e.g., drinking water, food, buckets with lids, soy milk).

The NextEnergy Foundation is financing AVSI’s intervention aimed at providing critical support for the protection and access to basic needs of vulnerable people and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Taunggyi and Inle Lake, Myanmar. The target population includes 375 individuals, and the intervention will last for two months.

The interventions will ensure the availability and access to essential food and non-food items and will improve housing conditions in shelters and homes of displaced communities through small-scale rehabilitation interventions, ensuring safe, decent, and functional environments.

Distribution of Essential Food and Non-Food Items: The objective of this activity is to address the specific needs of internally displaced people (IDPs) and vulnerable people living in or transiting through Taunggyi or towns along Inle Lake. Priorities include food, clothes, and blankets. This activity plans to reach 75 households (375 people) for a duration of two months. During the implementation of activities, the project may also help identify specific needs related to other areas such as economic, educational, and psychosocial support by promoting linkages with existing services provided by other organizations and local partners.

Housing or Shelter Rehabilitations: To ensure safe shelter for displaced people, small rehabilitations of community shelters or affected houses, deemed accessible for IDP reception, will be carried out. The aim is to ensure adequate safety for the housed individuals, even in the event of new earthquakes.

Updates on the activity will be provided at the end of the two-month intervention period.

August 2025 End of Activity Update: AVSI Foundation continues to deliver timely and impactful humanitarian assistance in Myanmar, following the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck on 28 March 2025. Implemented between May and June 2025 in partnership with Shwe Inn Thu (SHG), the project targeted 15 communities across Nyaung Shwe and Taunggyi townships in Southern Shan State. The initiative aimed to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable families by ensuring access to food, non-food items, and shelter rehabilitation materials.

Thanks to the support of the NextEnergy Foundation, the following activities – designed to meet immediate needs while respecting local market dynamics and ensuring dignity for affected families – were implemented by AVSI’s local team:

• Procurement and distribution 600 rolls of plastic sheeting to 150 families, enabling them to reinforce temporary shelters and protect themselves from harsh monsoon conditions
• Provision of multipurpose cash assistance of MMK 52,000 (approx. GBP 11.50) per beneficiary to support food purchases, in line with the methodology endorsed by the Myanmar Cash & Market Working Group.

Overall Impact and Reach:

• A total of 1,005 individuals were reached across five village tracts, including men, women, and children. Nearly tripling the initial target of 375 beneficiaries, this remarkable outcome highlights the program’s broad impact and effective implementation.
• The cash transfer value was calculated to cover 82.5% of the average retail cost of the standard food basket, ensuring consistency with national humanitarian standards

NextEnergy Foundation proudly supported all 1,005 individuals within the broader AVSI-led intervention, helping to restore dignity and resilience to families affected by the disaster.

Beneficiaries like Ma Hla Khin, a widowed mother of two, and Ma Aye Aye Myint, a young volunteer, shared powerful testimonies of resilience and gratitude. Their stories highlight how the support provided—plastic sheeting for shelter and emergency cash for food—has helped restore a sense of safety and hope in their communities.

“I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for their support: now my children sleep better and we are protected from the rain, and I’m doing my best to provide for my family during this difficult time.” – Ma Hla Khin

“Helping others keeps me going! Everyone has enough food, but financial challenges remain as people cannot yet return to work. We’re deeply thankful to NextEnergy Foundation for providing the material to rebuild the temporary shelter and emergency cash for food assistance.” – Ma Aye Aye Myint

Despite these achievements, the situation remains critical. Continued rainfall has flooded over 1,000 acres of farmland, threatening food security and shelter stability. AVSI is working closely with the Shan State Disaster Management Committee to deliver livelihood kits, including seeds, organic fertiliser, and additional cash assistance, in the coming months.