Rockefeller Foundation and Plan International Launch Emergency Response to Support Earthquake-Affected Children in Myanmar

$200,000 Grant to provide emergency relief and recovery for children impacted by the recent earthquake in in the hardest-hit regions of Mandalay and Sagaing

BANGKOK, April 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation announced a $200,000 emergency grant to Plan International Myanmar to provide critical relief to children and families affected by the catastrophic 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025. The disaster, which is the country's most severe in over a century, has left thousands homeless, with children facing heightened risks of malnutrition, trauma, and disrupted education. In response, The Rockefeller Foundation support for Plan's Resilient Children of Mandalay initiative will deliver immediate lifesaving support including safe spaces, meals, and psychosocial care, while laying the foundation for long-term recovery in the hardest-hit regions of Mandalay and Sagaing.

"Natural disasters widen existing inequalities, and it's often children, especially girls, who have to endure the greatest risks. In moments of crisis, aiding those children means ensuring they have the support, security, and hope they deserve," said Deepali Khanna, Head of Asia at The Rockefeller Foundation. "This collaboration with Plan International is a crucial step in caring for the most vulnerable people affected today while paving the way for future stability."  

The project will first establish six child-friendly spaces offering nutritious meals, mental health support, and emergency education for displaced children, with a focus on girls and young women. Over the following months, the initiative will rehabilitate schools, train teachers in trauma-informed care, and distribute learning kits, ensuring a pathway back to normalcy.

"After such a traumatic event, it is crucial that children's emotional well-being and sense of normalcy is restored," says Haider Yaqub, Country Director of Plan International Myanmar. "This vital support from The Rockefeller Foundation will provide children and especially girls who have been impacted by the quake, with safe spaces for playing and learning as their schools are being rebuilt and their learning journeys continue."

Plan's response is concentrating on supporting the most vulnerable communities, suffering from the shock of losing loved ones, their homes, and livelihoods. Plan International Myanmar has its emergency teams on the ground supporting affected communities in Mandalay and Sagaing, working with local partners and communities themselves to provide life-saving assistance and help rebuild lives.

About Plan International
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children's rights and equality for girls. We believe in the power and potential of every child but know this is often suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion and discrimination. And it is girls who are most affected.

Working together with children, young people, supporters and partners, we strive for a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges girls and vulnerable children face. We support children's rights from birth until they reach adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

For over 85 years, we have rallied other determined optimists to transform the lives of all children in more than 80 countries.

We won't stop until we are all equal.

About The Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.

SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation