News story

Impact International returns from relief operations in Myanmar

Lake District, UKLearning NewsImpact International

Impact International and 'Save The Children' join forces for emergency aid operation in Myanmar.

Senior consultants from a global people development company recently returned to the UK from the devastated region of Myanmar, where they were at the forefront of the emergency response to Cyclone Nargis.

Impact International mobilised its Relief and Development Group to assist with the aid efforts being carried out by Save The Children, immediately after Cyclone Nargis struck the west coast of Myanmar on May 2nd.

Impact International and 'Save The Children' join forces for emergency aid operation in Myanmar

Senior consultants from a global people development company have recently returned to the UK from the devastated region of Myanmar, where they were at the forefront of the emergency response to Cyclone Nargis.

Impact International, based in the Lake District, mobilised its Relief and Development Group to assist with the aid efforts being carried out by Save The Children, immediately after Cyclone Nargis struck the west coast of Myanmar in Burma on May 2nd. On secondment to Save The Children, Impact consultants Hamish Wilson and Rupert Miller were deployed as Emergency Operations Manager and as Private Sector Emergency Coordinator, respectively.

Over 2.5 million people were affected by the disaster - the most devastating natural disaster in the history of Myanmar. Hamish Wilson's role was to build an operation to provide shelter, food, clean water and sanitation, medical and education services for over 850,000 people across the Delta region. Rupert Miller, in a pioneering role previously untried in disaster response, was challenged with mobilising and coordinating private sector efforts, and returned to the UK having forged partnerships with a wide range of multinational corporations.

"I have just returned from Myanmar and witnessed first-hand the devastation caused by the cyclone and the work Save The Children is doing to assist the people and children of Myanmar. Impact is supporting this important humanitarian work and is assisting Save the Children build long-term relationships with the corporate sector throughout Thailand and the South East Asia region."

Impact, through the work of its Relief and Development Group, is committed to developing new solutions for its partners by catalysing action between non-governmental organisations and the corporate sector to serve people living in crisis.

The work of this specialist consultancy team has recently taken them beyond Myanmar to work with partners in countries as far flung as the Congo, Rwanda, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan.

"Through our deep knowledge of people and organisational development and first hand experience of disaster relief, we are able to help existing relief and development agencies work more effectively to deliver what is needed where it is needed most." David Williams, Founder and CEO, Impact International.

Notes to editors
Impact has 28 years' experience of bringing inspiration and change to multinationals and government institutions. In 2006, Impact's Relief and Development Group was launched as a specialist consultancy to help organisations more effectively serve people living in crisis. As an organisation, Impact strives to work in ways that are environmentally and socially sustainable, identifying and minimising any negative social and environmental impacts of its work whilst looking for every opportunity to put its special skills and collective energy at the service of communities and the disadvantaged around the world.