In a dusty corner of central Myanmar, a girl named Thandar, only eleven years old, now sleeps beneath a tarpaulin sheet, her world reduced to the edges of a crowded camp. Once a student in a quiet village near Mandalay, Thandar’s life was forever altered on March 28, 2025, when a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the region, turning homes to dust and dreams to debris.​

The earthquake was one of the strongest Myanmar has seen in decades, causing over 3,600 deaths and injuring thousands more. It left hundreds of thousands homeless, most of them already vulnerable from years of conflict. ​

Thandar’s village was one of many caught in a devastating intersection of natural disaster and political violence. Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has been gripped by a civil war. Armed resistance has risen in various states, while the military Junta retaliates with brutal force, including airstrikes and scorched-earth tactics. Entire communities, including Thandar’s, have been razed or forcibly evacuated. ​

Shockingly, after the massive earthquakes, children like Thandar across the nation have been terrified by an increase in attacks on the civilians by the ruling military Junta.  Not only increasing the death toll & destroying more important structures like schools & hospitals, but preventing humanitarian aid into the country.

Displaced by both quake and conflict, Thandar and her family joined the 3.5 million internally displaced people scattered across the country. Their makeshift camp on the edge of Sagaing Region is overcrowded and unsafe. With the arrival of monsoon rains, fears of cholera and waterborne diseases have surged, especially for children. ​

Basic supplies—clean water, rice, medical aid—are hard to come by. Myanmar’s military government has imposed internet shutdowns, hindering coordination of relief efforts and isolating affected communities from the rest of the world. ​

Thandar hasn’t returned to school in over a year. She spends her days helping her mother collect water and waiting in line for food handouts. Her future, like that of 6.3 million children in Myanmar who require humanitarian aid in 2025, is filled with uncertainty. ​Amnesty International

Yet in the face of loss, Thandar has not given up hope. Relief workers, despite immense barriers, continue to reach her camp. Her eyes still light up when she sees books or hears stories about children returning to school. What she hopes for is simple: safety, education, and a home that doesn’t crumble beneath her feet.​

The people of Burma are truly inspiring.  They have faced some of the most horrific injustices in our generation and keep battling back with an internal joy & gratefulness.

Sources & Further Reading:
Free Burma Rangers

WEEKLY DISPATCH | APR 10, 2025 |

AP News – Humanitarian Crisis in Myanmar:
https://apnews.com/article/a8fefcd8132a9f92a7d9f09cfea3a713

The Times – Civilian Attacks by the Junta:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-carnage-that-proves-myanmars-junta-is-still-bombing-civilians-rqzh6sjdq

UNICEF – Humanitarian Action for Children 2025 – Myanmar:
https://www.unicef.org/media/166121/file/2025-HAC-Myanmar.pdf

Amnesty International – Military Attacks in Earthquake Areas:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/myanmar-inhumane-military-attacks-in-earthquake-areas-hindering-relief-efforts/

Reuters – Internet Shutdowns Hinder Earthquake Aid Response:
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-internet-shutdowns-hinder-earthquake-aid-response-2025-04-09/