Urgent Need for Winter Gear Among Displaced People in Arakan State as Cold Weather Approaches

Thinzar Nwe, 29 October 2024

As winter nears in Arakan State, countless displaced people desperately need warm clothes and blankets.

"It's already cold, even though winter just started. Most displaced folks don't have warm clothes, and there aren't enough blankets. Some displaced kids are getting sick because they don't have blankets. If they don't get blankets and warm clothes soon, they might get really sick as it gets colder. The grown-ups are cold too, but they've given the thin blankets they brought to their kids, leaving themselves with nothing," said a woman who fled from Ga Nan Taung village in Ponnagyun Township.

Displaced people across Arakan State, including those in Ponnagyun Township, are struggling to make ends meet and can't buy blankets and warm clothes. 

Right now, a blanket in Arakan State costs about 35,000 Kyats, which is too much for displaced people and day laborers to afford.

"Winter came in mid-October, and many families don't have enough warm clothes or blankets. I'm asking everyone to focus on giving blankets and warm clothes right now," she added.

A young helper from the Phyu Sin Yin Khwin Foundation in Ponnagyun Town told Arakan News Network that displaced people living without shelter in villages are having a really hard time without warm clothes and blankets.

"There are displaced people in almost every village. Now that it's winter, we want to give warm clothes and blankets to those who need them. We're asking for help from donors because tens of thousands of displaced people need these things. Some are having trouble with the cold, and we need to get ready now to protect them from the harsh weather," he said.

He also said that there are over 7,000 displaced people in Ponnagyun Township, and about 65 percent of them need warm clothes and blankets. 

People seeking safety in Ponnagyun Township include those from Sittwe, Pauktaw, Rathedaung, and Ponnagyun townships.

Helper U Wai Hin Aung posted on social media that he plans to give 2,000 blankets to displaced people now that the cold winter has started in Arakan State.

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