By Kantarawaddy Times
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) residing in Kayaw villages within Pekon Township, near the border of Karenni State, are facing severe rice shortages and are in urgent need of assistance, according to reports from aid workers.
These Kayaw villages are located in Shan State’s Pekon Township, and aid from donors has yet to reach them, a member of the Htun Myanmar Donation Group, which assists in supporting IDPs, told Kantarawaddy Times.
“There’s a rice shortage because aid hasn’t arrived. Some people, feeling embarrassed, have come to us in tears, asking for rice. They were so desperate that they couldn’t help but cry. In such situations, when there’s no rice left, they borrow from fellow villagers, promising to repay with labor during the harvest season—when crops like beans or paddy are ready.
That’s how they manage to get by,” said a male member of the Htun Myanmar Donation Group.
Due to their reliance on borrowing food to survive, donors who wish to help are encouraged to connect through the Htun Myanmar Donation Group’s social media platform to make contributions.
Given the remoteness of these areas, IDPs have also appealed for donors to prioritize providing aid to them.
The IDPs, mostly from the Kayaw ethnic group, are sheltering in villages such as Doeli, Sai Kaw, Phray Phro, and Mar Sai Phalo. In addition to rice, they are in need of other basic food supplies. The four villages are home to approximately 200 displaced people.
