Energy companies have been working with NGOs to provide relief aid.

THE efforts of only a few can be described here, almost all companies involved in the country’s burgeoning energy sector have been willing to assist in the relief effort, working closely with NGOs in particular.

Chevron Corporation announced on May 9 that it would contribute US$2 million – half going to the International Federation of the Red Cross and the other $1 million to be allocated to four other organisations – the International Organisation for Migration, Mercy Corps, Pact and Save the Children.

Chevron, based in San Ramon, California, has a 28 percent stake in the Yadana natural gas field and pipeline.

Daewoo International Corporation told The Myanmar Times it has been carrying out the wide range of relief activities to cyclone victims in severely-affected areas. The company’s contribution, both monetary and in-kind donations, so far totals more than $350,000, but Daewoo has also provided voluntary labour to help in the relief effort.

Daewoo volunteers went out to Bahan and Ahlone townships in Yangon to clean up fallen trees that were blocking roads, with the support of 10 heavy vehicles and more than 50 skilled workers.

Daewoo International also donated bags of rice, drinking water and clothes to the cyclone victims in the Bogale Township via the Ministry of Forestry.

Daewoo International – on behalf of Shwe Consortium – is also working on another donation program, spending $100,000 on the restoration and upgrade of Kawhmu Township Hospital.

Daewoo International also delivered financial assistance from its disaster relief fund to the Myanmar Economic Corporation, Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited to be spent on the restoration and resettlement programs for the victims.

Another monetary donation was made to World Vision for the NGOs relief works. Moreover, Daewoo International in collaboration with Korea National Hospital and KFHI, dispatched a medical relief team to Myanmar on June 15. This team has been providing medical services in Kungyangon Township.

In addition to the donations made by the company, employees from Daewoo International raised funds and made individual contributions through the Korean Association to the Government of the Union of Myanmar to provide relief aid to storm victims.

Daewoo staff and volunteers distributed essential food items to the affected areas in Kungyangon, Kawhmu, Dedaye and Bogale Townships and cash amounts to every individual victim at 18 relief camps and Myaung-Mya, as well as the local hospital.

Following the May 2 cyclone, oil giant Total E&P Myanmar announced it would donate $2 million to the emergency appeal launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Through the company’s socioeconomic team, Total has been actively taking part in relief efforts in coordination with NGOs on the ground, such as Save the Children and Red Cross, according to a company statement.

The statement said most of the aid provided was logistic-related and including the donation of 20,000 litres of fuel to Save the Children and survey flights over the affected area using the Yadana project’s helicopter.

A subsidiary of the Yadana joint venture partners also delivered 14 tonnes of rice and four tonnes of lentils to 2000 people, as well as delivering drinking water, providing construction materials and rebuilding a school. These relief efforts amounted to about $200,000 and was not included in the initial $2 million dollar donation.

In a May 26 announcement, Total said the company and its subsidiary had donated 100,000 litres of fuel to NGOs Save the Children, German Agro Action, Malteser International, the UN Coordination and Italy’s Cooperazione e Sviluppo (CESVI).

PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) also supplied diesel, food, portable water, towels, corrugated iron roofing sheets, hammers and nails worth about 6 million baht (about $180,000) and transported them to Yangon on a Royal Thai Air Force C130 Hercules, less than a week after the storm hit Myanmar.