Tun May lives with her family in Myanmar, where daily life depends on steady work, strong community connections and the security of having somewhere safe to live.
On Friday 28 March 2025, a powerful earthquake devastated regions across Myanmar, damaging Tun May’s home. Nearly 4,000 people were killed and six million were left in urgent need. It was the largest earthquake to strike the country in more than a hundred years, forcing up to a million people from their homes.
ShelterBox partnered with an organisation in Myanmar to conduct housing repairs to thousands of damaged homes. This included making repairs with timber frames to homes in dry areas or bamboo frames in villages prone to flooding, and concrete blocks. Each will have corrugated iron roofs and fixings, and people will receive solar lights and kitchen sets.
After Tun May’s construction work was completed, our partner spoke with her to understand how the earthquake had affected her family and what their newly secure home means for her and her family.
Tun May tells us what it means to return to her home after months of disruption: “I am happy that our house has been repaired and that we are all back home.”
Being back has made daily life easier, especially as she recovers from a broken leg. The extra space means she can move around more comfortably after months of living in a crowded temporary shelter.
But returning home has not been simple. The repairs were costly, and before they were completed, Tun May explains: “I was staying in one of my niece’s bamboo houses, which was too small to move around in, especially with other people temporarily accommodated there.”
Despite the improvements, challenges remain. Tun May is back in her house, but daily life still feels uncertain: “Life is much more convenient, and I’m grateful to be reunited with my family. However, I still feel afraid when it rains and gets windy.”
Parts of the house still need repair, particularly the lower supports, but ongoing flooding means the work must wait.
“Right now we are dealing with heavy rains and rising water,” says Tun May. “We will need to wait for the repair process until summer, when the water level decreases.”
Support came just before conditions worsened.
“ShelterBox provided materials before the flood, which allowed us to renovate the house,” explains Tun May. “If the flood had been as severe at that time, we would not have been able to do it.”
Even with that support, the cost of rebuilding has been difficult to manage. The family used their savings to complete repairs and still has more work to do once the water subsides.
“We have exhausted all our savings.”
Despite the challenges, the improvements are already making a difference. The repaired house has held up against rain and wind, even as floodwater rises beneath it.
“The basement of our house is currently about three feet submerged,” says Tun May. “If we hadn’t renovated our house, we wouldn’t have been able to cope with the rising water.”
At the same time, life is beginning to move forward again for Tun May and her family. She tells us:
“We have replanted tomatoes… [now] reaching about two feet tall. There are approximately a thousand floating tomato fields. I have hired three to four casual workers to help with this… Thank you for your generous support.”
For Tun May, the difference between her previous shelter and her repaired house is clear.
“The bamboo house where we lived temporarily was not comfortable, especially with my sore legs,” she says. “Now, our repaired house is comfortable and easy to move around in. The floors upstairs are also in good shape, so I can live happily.”
Thank you for your support. I always pray for the health and happiness of those who have supported us.
Tan May has now offered her repaired home as a place of safety to her family and others impacted by the floods.
“The house where my niece, Than Than Swe, lived before is now flooded, and her family, along with their belongings, have moved to our house,” Tun May explains. “Some families from low-lying bamboo houses have also stored their belongings here, even though the downstairs is flooded. Thankfully, we can still live upstairs.”
With shelter and support in place, Tun May and her family can find greater safety as they move forward.
A major earthquake has left large areas damaged, with homes destroyed or weakened and many families forced to leave. Some people are now staying in makeshift shelters, while others remain in unsafe buildings because they have nowhere else to go.
Daily life has become more difficult. Access to clean water, food and basic services is limited, and ongoing flooding and heavy rains are making recovery even harder. ShelterBox is working with local partners to support families with repairs and essential household items, helping people create more secure living spaces as they recover.
Find out more about the earthquake in Myanmar and the support being delivered.
Myanmar Earthquake
