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Children in Myanmar living in relief shelters
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| May 15, 2008 |
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 Children sleep in over-crowded relief shelters as cyclone survivors continue to come in from the southern provinces most affected by
Cyclone Nargis/WORLD VISION
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It has been more than a week since Cyclone Nargis killed more than 60,000 people and tens of thousands of survivors left homeless have been sheltering at relief camps. Many children and families have nowhere to go, but one young disabled boy wanted to go home immediately.
Life seems cruel for 14-year-old Thant Zin. He came into the world with a lifelong friend, his twin brother. But now, disabled from polio at the age of four, he must stay home alone while his brother works to support their family of eight.
Like most disabled children in the country, he doesn't go to school.
"My whole body was soaked with rain when our bamboo hut collapsed," Thant Zin's words echoed those of his elder sister earlier. ''We ate nothing on that day."
In the early days after the storm, Thant Zin's family sheltered at a community hall. Then, they arrived at a relief camp set up at a state-run high school the day after the storm.
Thant Zin's sister continued talking about their life these days, as her ever-smiling brother nodded in agreement, sometimes speaking up to add his own opinion.
Thant Zin grew up in one of the poorest communities in Yangon. Families in their community often build makeshift huts illegally on land outside their township in a town calls Dagon Seikkan. The homes in that town were stronger, but they couldn't withstand the storm. When Nargis struck, the makeshift huts completely disappeared.
World Vision has already provided water and food for the displaced people living there, and they will begin distributing shelter kits, too.
"World Vision provided piglets for our family," said Thant Zin's sister. Then her brother interjected. ''We already sold them." They had to make money from the pigs, as they had no other form of income.
When asked whether he wanted to learn at school, Thant Zin simply nodded his head.
"He really means it," said his sister, now echoing the words of her younger brother.
While most of the people would prefer to stay at the camp, Thant Zin can't wait to return home.
"Here, there are so many people. I'm not able to sleep. I want to go home," he said.
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