Yangon residents raise yellow flags as they cry out for help with Covid-19

Yangon residents raise yellow flags as they cry out for help with Covid-19
Published 26 July 2021
Zaw Min Naing

"Thank you to everyone that helped. People started calling after I put up the flag," said a woman in South Oakkalapa Township that put up a yellow flag

Around the middle of July, coloured "flags" hoisted up at homes, apartments in Yangon Region could be seen. 

Why the flags?

The devastating third wave of Covid-19 had taken severe tolls on households in Yangon. 

"Since the whole family became infected, we couldn't go anywhere. That's why we hoisted the flag up," said the woman from South Oakkalpa.

The coloured of the flags means; yellow signifying help needed in terms of medicines and other health issues while a white flag is for rations.

"If there is anything to ask, please do so quickly. I'm cold and I need to deliver medicine urgently," said Ko Ant Bwe Aung, soaked from head to toe on his motorcycle and only caring to protect the small plastic bag containing medicine from the downpour. 

The youth is one of the many that are helping those that urgently needs help within North Oakkalapa Township. He says he and four others have been helping such "flag" families for five days now.

"We managed to help over 20 families. We did not keep any records though," said Ant Bwe Aung. He also expressed his surprise at how many families needed their help.

"I couldn't just stand by anymore as a young person. There are those that needed help all around. When I first thought of helping people, I was sick myself. I talked to a friend, saying that we will help people when we get better. I got better and so here I am. Once I put my phone number on social media, there were so many calls. We haven't even thought about a name for a group. But it's more important to provide actual help than get a fancy name.

There were so many households that were gravely in need of help but didn't know to put up a flag or anything. Neighbours had to call us for them. Most of them are elders," said Ant Bwe Aung.

For him, the hardest part about providing assistance to the needy is being pulled over for riding a motorbike.

"When I'm on the road, if I know of a place where they are catching riders, I have to take long detours. That's if others on the road tells me so. It's very frustrating when they do so because it will delay providing help to those that urgently needs it."

He says that while some ask for food like porridge or congee, most asked for medicine as most of those households were poor and cannot afford them. 

"For medicine, we have to ask them carefully because there maybe allergies."

There is now a growing amount of youths, hoping to match the burgeoning amount of help requested via hoisted flags.

"As for my people, there are several younger youths with me. They are also running around town on motorbikes since morning, as soon as the phone calls started coming in. I asked them not go back home because going back home late could be a problem on their own. And if they get sick, we can try to take care of each other. A person I know promised to help by providing a vehicle. If we have a car, it won't be too tiring anymore," said Ko Ant Bwe Aung. 

He also said that the thing all of them fears most is getting arrested by asking them to come help at a location, and then getting a trap sprung upon them. 

But luckily, he has yet to encounter them and that most of the houses he went to actually needed help. However, he expressed dismay at not being able to help with oxygen.

"We cannot really help with oxygen matters. But if we see places or people helping out with oxygen matters, we can inform them."

So far, the third wave of Covid-19 had cut swathes through lives in Yangon Region and elsewhere. 

The Ministry of Health and Sports had reported of at least four Variants of Interest Covid-19 virus in Myanmar and it had warned that the mutant strains are much more infectious than the normal version was.

As new cases found and death toll increase with regular breaking of past records, Myanmar's citizens are finding it even more difficult to live through these trying times. 

"I will not be able to live with myself if I cannot help those that are in need while I can do so. That's why I'm doing it," said Ko Ant Bwe Aung before driving away on his motorbike, hoping that his little plastic bag of medicine will be able to reach a family in time.