A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on 28 March 2025, destroying homes, buildings and infrastructure across the region. Fifteen Integral Members came together and were able to respond quickly and efficiently, avoiding duplication and leveraging greater impact. Eight Integral Members supported fellow Member World Concern, whose work included multi-purpose cash assistance, the repair and construction of latrines and provision of emergency medical care.
Within days of the earthquake, Integral Members based in Myanmar used Integral’s platform to share photos and stories describing the impact on communities. Using these materials, other Integral Members launched fundraising campaigns in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovakia, Switzerland, the UK and USA. Having access to good quality photos that were quickly available and easily accessible enabled Integral Members to reach out to their supporters across the world. Together, Integral Members raised more than $4m USDs from private sources and quickly funded trusted Partners and operational Members in Myanmar.
Six months later, World Concern has been able to serve more than 40,000 people. Julia Boharski, World Concern’s Program Development Manager, shares with us her reflections about the more World Concern was able to achieve through working together with other Integral Members:
“Through this collaboration World Concern was able to initiate activities almost immediately after the earthquake occurred due to the collaboration and trust within the alliance. Moreover, the flexibility in funding allowed our staff to plan activities in close collaboration with communities, careful to avoid duplication while meeting their immediate needs. Our ability to serve those in different areas of the country who were affected by the earthquake multiplied immensely due to the generosity extended to us from our fellow Integral Members.”
Julia continues, “Throughout the response, every Member provided me and the World Concern team with guidance, wisdom, expertise, time, patience, and prayer. This not only allowed us to facilitate an effective response in a difficult operating environment, but fuelled us with encouragement and support that was guided by their selfless commitment to alleviating suffering and restoring hope in disasters and beyond.”
Looking to the future Julia says, “My hope in this challenging recovery context is that our staff, local Partners, participating community members, and local church bodies maintain a resilient heart. The work is difficult, and the environment is challenging, as those in Myanmar are faced with a complex, multi-layered crisis. I am deeply inspired by how faith has guided my colleagues. My prayer is that they continue to fix their eyes and hearts on the Lord and that hope in their future is not deterred. I pray that they may continue to serve those who need it most until safety and progress toward development has been restored.”
The one year anniversary of this crisis will be on 28th March 2026. Since the response began a total of 190,380 people have received assistance through the work of Integral Members and their Partners. Integral continues to bring its Members together to coordinate their work in this crisis.
Integral is a global alliance of 22 Christian relief and development agencies that come together to respond in times of disaster. We believe we can serve people better by uniting our collective reach, funding and expertise.