Struggling, Yet Lin Tries Her Best to Provide Post-Quake

The recent devastating earthquake in central Myanmar has significantly disrupted food supplies for families in affected regions. Lin’s family is one of them. 

Lin, 37, is a mother of two from Pyu Kan village in Tada U Township. As the family’s breadwinner, she works tirelessly to give her children a better life. Like many in her community, she earns a living farming paddy, chickpeas, and sesame.

“Every morning, I prepare tea and snacks for my children. For lunch and dinner, I cook rice and curry,” says Lin. She does her best to provide for her children, but meat is a rare treat she can’t often afford.

“We are short on staples like rice, cooking oil, and peas,” she says. “I want to give my children enough food, but I can only afford that during harvest season.”  For now, Lin gathers vegetables from the forest, and buys meat from vendors when she can. Her family gets by with what they have.

Lin’s children, 11-year-old Hnin and four-year-old Aung, are registered with World Vision in Tada U. Hnin helps her mother with household chores and loves mala xiang guo, a famous Chinese dish among Myanmar youth. “I love it, but we can’t afford it often. Same with meat, we only have it sometimes,” Hnin says. 

Lin dreams of a bright future for her children through good education, but earning a steady income is a struggle, especially after the earthquake. 

Her family was among those who received World Vision’s relief support following the earthquake. World Vision has provided purified drinking water and ready-to-eat meals as an emergency support for the earthquake-affected families in Tada U. 

The 7.7 earthquake, that hit Myanmar on 28 March 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. Children and their families who have lost their homes are now dealing with extreme heat and expected rain or thundershowers, further deepening those already critical needs, especially for shelter.

World Vision is providing life-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.