In 2024, ingo PEACE. successfully orchestrated the delivery of medical aid to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. This article reports on that achievement, which embodies the organization’s willingness to take on tasks deemed by others to be impossible by engaging in dialog with stakeholders with the goal of providing fair opportunities.
Working with trusted partners to quickly put plans into action
Dedicated to providing fair, neutral information and opportunities, ingo PEACE. seeks to make a sustainable and ongoing contribution to the stability of international society and to global economic activity. It does so by formulating shared channels of international cooperation and democratically implementing cooperative strategies through global partnerships with governmental agencies and the private sector. In keeping with this philosophy, the organization decided to provide medical aid to Myanmar as its first support activity.
Although this news was reported on our official website on May 1, 2024, the project began in January. When specific countries or regions are subjected to economic restrictions or pressure from the international community, the resulting economic damage often goes beyond shortages of essential goods and medicine, skyrocketing prices, and lost jobs. It can also undermine deteriorating public safety and trigger social unrest, further exacerbating the already challenging conditions faced by ordinary citizens. What was then the ingo PEACE. Preparatory Office conducted discussions and analysis regarding the lives of ordinary citizens in Myanmar, who had few options in the face of worsening conditions. Despite extensive medical assistance being provided worldwide by the United Nations and many other organizations, political issues hindered progress in providing aid, leading to a deepening crisis. We concluded that we were uniquely positioned to help the people of Myanmar through dialog precisely because we’re committed to providing fair and impartial information and opportunities.
Having decided to provide this emergency humanitarian aid, we approached partner NGOs to seek cooperation on logistics. At the same time, we contacted Myanmar’s Ministry of Health to secure approval for the delivery of supplies, which proved to be the most challenging aspect of the process. The subsequent negotiations, correspondence, and coordination played out over the course of several months. Ultimately, we were able to put in place an arrangement to facilitate acceptance of supplies through the Myanmar Red Cross Society, which agreed to act as our liaison with the government.
The packing of relief supplies began in April, and records show that the supplies were shipped by sea from the U.S. in early June. Unfortunately, humanitarian aid supplies don’t enjoy priority handling during shipment. Shipping supplies by sea from the U.S. to Myanmar usually takes several months. In this case, additional delays were possible due to congestion at transit points, along with the risk that necessary paperwork might not be properly processed in some countries.
Furthermore, arrival of a shipment triggers various procedures, including a detailed review to ensure the items received match the packing list and are authorized for import. Moreover, the recipient must complete receipt of the goods within the specified time frame. Ensuring that the donated supplies reach those in need promptly entails navigating a complex series of processes with precision.
In this case, collaboration with partner NGOs with expertise in humanitarian aid logistics proved to be essential. We carefully coordinated with those NGOs, selecting a reliable shipping company and engaging a licensed non-profit organization to manage logistics risk. Ultimately, a container carrying medical aid supplies worth a total of $470,000 — including bandages, surgical gowns, syringes and needles for various purposes, oxygen masks, toothbrushes, and more — arrived without incident at the port of Yangon at the end of August.
Medical aid shipped to Myanmar
Making the difficult possible
Setting a new precedent
On September 1, 2024, a handover ceremony for the aid supplies was held at a hotel in Yangon. Red Cross representatives, stakeholders from within Myanmar, ambassadors from various countries stationed in Myanmar, and a deputy representative from ingo PEACE. attended the event.
“Today’s ceremony marks an important milestone in our partnership with ingo PEACE.,” said Professor Dr. Myo Nyunt, President of the Myanmar Red Cross Society, as he opened the ceremony. “It also serves as a reminder of the power of unity, and of our shared mission to alleviate human suffering and pursue the health and well-being of all. The supplies we’ve received will undoubtedly help us respond swiftly to people in urgent need of medical care. We deeply appreciate your generous support and dedication.”
In response, ingo PEACE. Trustee S.M. Nazrul Islam said, “In this case, we were able to successfully deliver medical aid in partnership with the Myanmar Red Cross Society and other organizations. There remains much that we can do on behalf of this country. Going forward, we hope to continue our efforts to support Myanmar’s economic and sociocultural development by partnering with organizations and other like-minded individuals who care about Myanmar.”
The second half of the event included a signing ceremony and presentation of a certificate. In remarks to close the ceremony, Professor Dr. Tin Maung Hlaing, a member of the Myanmar Red Cross Society’s Executive Committee, said, “Compassionate assistance from ingo PEACE. embodies the true spirit of humanitarianism and serves as a beacon of hope. Your donation is more than just a contribution of medical supplies. It’s a lifeline to people who are struggling to survive. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Today, we took that first step.”
The ceremony was covered by numerous media outlets and featured on the official social media accounts of the Myanmar Red Cross. Notably, support from other countries and organizations poured in as soon as the news was shared. The willingness of ingo PEACE. to embrace this challenge embodies a breakthrough in providing humanitarian aid under conditions that were considered by many to be impossible.
Following the completion of customs and other formalities, the aid supplies were officially handed over to the Myanmar Red Cross on October 21 and have since been delivered to the sites that need them most, including medical university hospitals and the Central Medical Stores Depot, which operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health.
Ingo PEACE. already has several new projects underway.
