A Fire in the Sihhmui Refugee camp
Dear donors, we so very much appreciate your tremendous support for Chin refugees fleeing Lailenpi. Our local contact reported a successful aid mission, which was only made possible by your continued, generous contributions. We can’t thank you enough for trusting our mission and helping us to aid this community in their time of need, and they also feel tremendous appreciation for your help. Sadly, we recently learned of yet another tragedy that has befallen Chin refugees, this time at a refugee camp in Mizoram. We share the following update here.
The Sihhmui Refugee camp is situated near in Sihhmui Village, Mizoram State, India. The majority of the residents are from Mutupi Township, from the Matupi tribe. The camp is not far from its host community. Over 300 refugees live in 64 houses at the camp. Due to land restrictions, the host community forbids the refugees from using firewood for cooking. As a result, each household must purchase at least one gas canister. And since the refugee camp lacks electricity, some of the refugees also end up buying small solar panels and batteries for lighting.
On the evening of February 21, 2024, everything changed. The camp residents had made the long walk to the meeting hall to greet Pastor Emanuel, who is one of the supporters of the food needed for the Sihhmui refugee camp, and had travelled from Aizawl with goods for them. But all of a sudden, the people heard the sound of wood burning. By the time they all hurried outside to try to put out the fire, a number of houses had already burned to the ground. A gas cylinder had exploded! In order to stop the spread of the fire, several more houses had to be demolished as well. Although the loss of shelter and belongings is a serious emergency for the many affected refugee families, at least no one was injured.
In light of this devastating event, we are reaching out once more to your generous hearts. The immediate needs are dire, and we are hoping to provide emergency aid as swiftly as possible. We humbly ask if you would consider extending your support through donations, whether it be food, clothing, shelter materials, or funds to purchase much-needed items.
Some examples of how donations might be used:
Just $6 buys a refugee a much-needed blanket.
$20 buys a container of cooking oil for a family.
$27 covers the cost of a stove.
$44 provides enough rice for multiple families.
$60 covers the cost of a solar battery and light bulb.
$61 will enable us to give a gas cylinder to a family-in-need.
$73 covers the cost of a bag of dal (a staple in the refugee diet) that will last a family about one month.
$81 purchases a roll of tarpaulin.
$305 funds the transportation of crucial supplies to the camp.
As you can see, your contributions will not only help provide food and shelter, but also reignite their hope for a better future. We express our heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of you who has contributed, demonstrating a remarkable commitment to humanitarian aid and solidarity. Together, we can make a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by such terrible adversity!
