MERCY Malaysia Launches Flood Relief Fund

1 February 2011 - MERCY Malaysia is launching the Flood Relief Fund to support its domestic and overseas floods response. MERCY Malaysia is currently present in Johor, Malaysia and Ampara and Batticaloa, Sri Lanka for flood relief efforts.

 

“Our volunteers have packed and distributed hygiene kits to 486 families in 5 evacuation centres in Sungai Tiram and Kuala Sengka yesterday. Majlis Keselamatan Nasional (MKN) and the local authorities have both been very supportive in identifying locations with relevant needs, and we are looking to distribute more hygiene kits in Pandan and Masai today,” said MERCY Malaysia President, Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus.

 

“We are sending another team tomorrow to assess the needs and to assist in the response in the northern part of Johor. Our pool of volunteers –both medical and non-medical- are already alerted to be on standby to serve as needed, and we recognise the need to collaborate with all agencies and partners for a disaster of this scale,” he added.

 

Meanwhile in Sri Lanka, the MERCY Malaysia team has distributed 472 hygiene kits to the affected communities in Cithandi 3 Village in the Batticaloa District yesterday, in collaboration with the Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA). Another 500 hygiene kits will be distributed in Ampara today, with 28 units to be completed in Cithandi. Additional needs will be identified with the completion of the health assessment in Batticaloa later today.

 

“For our kit distribution, we have received tremendous logistical support from the local district staff and CHA staff, as well as the local community volunteers. Hygiene kits are critical in enabling flood survivors maintain good personal hygiene and prevent the spread of water-borne diseases,” he added.

 

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the flood waters -which reached an almost 100 year high- are now receding and people have started returning to their homes, but it is estimated that 6,000 homes are totally destroyed and 23,000 are partially damaged. Some 10,000 people still remain displaced in temporary relocation centres.

 

Concerned individuals and organisations can donate to the Flood Relief Fund through the following bank accounts:

MAYBANK (account name: MERCY HUMANITARIAN FUND, account number : 5621-7950-4126, ABA Swift Code: MBBEMYKLA), or

CIMB Bank (account name: MERCY Malaysia, account number: 1424-000-6561053, ABA Swift Code: CIBBMYKL).

Donations via cheques are payable to MERCY MALAYSIA.

To donate online, please visit www.mercy.org.my.

 

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About MERCY Malaysia

 

MERCY Malaysia is a non‐profit organisation focusing on providing medical relief, sustainable health-related development and risk reduction activities for vulnerable communities in both crisis and non-crisis situations. MERCY Malaysia recognises the value of working with partners and volunteers as well as providing opportunities for individuals to serve with professionalism. We uphold the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief and hold ourselves accountable to our donors and beneficiaries. As a non‐profit organisation, MERCY Malaysia relies solely on funding and donations from organisations and generous individuals to continue our services to provide humanitarian assistance to our beneficiaries.

 

 

For further information, kindly contact:

Juanita Johari, General Manager, Communications and Fundraising, MERCY Malaysia

Level 2, Podium Block, City Point, Kompleks Dayabumi, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, 50050 KL.

T: 6-03-2273 3999, F: 6-03-2272 3812, E: juanita@mercy.org.my W: www.mercy.org.my

 

 

 

Important Note to Media: Usage of Wordmark MERCY Malaysia

 

In order to avoid confusion with other organisation(s) that uses “Mercy” as the organisation’s name or part of the organisation’s name, please take note that in addressing the name of our organisation, the wordmark for MERCY Malaysia is with capitalised “MERCY”, followed by the word “Malaysia”. When describing the organisation, the term “MERCY Malaysia” must always be used in full, and should not be partially referred to as “MERCY”, or “Mercy”. Thank you for your cooperation.