The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) is urging all factory owners, managing directors, members and company entrepreneurs to provide cash donations to those that need “help and support” after the earthquake.
The organisation explains that people are in need of help in Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and the Sagaing region and states that it has partnered with sister associations to achieve this.
It urges its companies to donate money in a “round-robin manner” and to “arrange these donations as quickly and efficiently as possible” either through the association or in collaboration with partner organisations.
The association is eager for its members to send cash donations direct to its headquarters in Yangon by Wednesday 2 April.
MGMA’s managing director Aye Mi Shein tells Just Style that on a more international level it is in the process of receiving help with its rescue operations from international organisation from the UK, US, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Russia, India and China.
But, Shein adds: “We still need to cover many areas to support by immediate assistance.”
The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association also shares that it held a seminar on the ‘Current Situation of Myanmar’s Garment Sector’ with participants observing a one-minute silence to express their condolences for the victims of the recent earthquake.
During the seminar, U Aye Win, Chairman of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), delivered opening remarks and U Myint Soe, Chairman of the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association, gave a keynote message regarding the garment industry sector in Myanmar.
U Aye Tun, Chairman of the Myanmar Industries Association, gave a keynote message on CMP (Cut-Make-Pack) businesses in Myanmar and Daw Khine Khine Nwe, Secretary General of UMFCCI and MGMA presented “The Current Situation of Myanmar’s Garment Industry and CMP Businesses.”
The seminar was attended by the Chairman of UMFCCI, Chairman and Secretary General, executive committee members of MGMA, KOGAM, CTGA, JGMA, representatives from MGMA’s member factories and representatives from MIA’s member factories.
Speaking to Just Style the day after the Myanmar earthquake, Jacob Clere, team leader at Smart Myanmar explained most garment and footwear factories are in Yangon and Bago and are, in most cases, steel frame structure buildings of two stories.
He said: “About 95% of the facilities have been built within the previous 10 to 15 years or less, so the build quality is generally quite decent.”
He said at the time that he believed and hoped the factories and their employees in Yangon, Bago and Pathein were likely not affected in their workplaces.
But, he pointed out the likelihood of the families of workers being impacted was high as much of the industry workforce comes from affected regions in middle Myanmar, near the epicentre of the quake.
“I encourage retailers sourcing from Myanmar to explore what measures they can take to support the families of the workers in their supply chain, as many of them will have houses to repair and some may have suffered losses,” Clere said.
“There are a handful of larger factories in Mandalay and nearby surroundings which produce for international export markets. Those factories might have been severely affected. There are several hundred small family textile mills which produce cotton fabrics and garments for the local domestic market, and I fear many of them would have been severely impacted, as many of those cottage industry facilities are within 50km or so of the epicentre. We don’t have news from them yet.”
“Myanmar fashion sector calls for donations after earthquake” was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand.
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