SIEM REAP--12 May--PRNewswire-AsiaNet/InfoQuest Since Journeys Within Tour Company announced it's partnership with Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC), a non-profit organization working in Southeast Asia, to raise funds and provide disaster relief to Myanmar in the wake of the devastation of the recent cyclone, together they've raised over $25,000, and have had numerous medical supplies, first aid kits and electrolyte packetsdonated to distribute out to refugees. With an estimated 28,000 people dead, 33,000 missing, millions homeless, widespread flooding and destruction of homes, the race is on to prevent further death and the spread of disease in Yangon and southern Myanmar. Critical resources such as food, clean water, basic medicines and mosquito nets are desperately needed as hundreds ofthousands of people are arriving at refugee camps seeking refuge from the floods. While many Aid organizations struggle to get people into the country, Journeys Within is able to utilize staff already there. JWOC and Journeys Within Tour Company are working with the Journeys Within Tour Company Yangon office to pinpoint specific needs. For example, JWOC and Journeys Within areassisting local relief efforts in the city of Pathein by helping shelters set up to accommodate refugees from the Delta region. There are 30,000 refugees in Pathein. Additional JWOC and Journeys Within staff are arriving in Myanmar shortly to assess firsthand the most critical needs and use the resources to meet them. "Our hearts go out to the kind and beautiful people we know throughout the country. Our staff, guides and drivers are all in our thoughts as we work to bring aid to the region. JWOC is based on the mission, see a problem, solve a problem, and since we're on the ground with a Journeys Within Tour Company office in Yangon, Myanmar, we're in the perfect position to quickly assess themost urgent needs and provide direct aid and resources to the victims of this devastating disaster," said Brandon Ross, president of Journeys Within. "Our Yangon office and JWOC will partner to raise funds and use 100 percent of those donations to help the people of Myanmar. We know from experience that we can change lives and that is our goal. We are working with people on theground that know where help is needed and we hope this targeted approach will best utilize the funds and resources we have. Through worldwide donations, we can help prevent more death and destruction and help the people of Myanmar recover and re-build their lives." Local residents who own boats that were not destroyed by the cyclone are assisting in the relief efforts by brining stranded refugees back to refugee camps. However there are still not nearly enough rescue boats compared to stranded survivors. And even though relief workers have worked with local rice producers to get as much rice as possible to the refugee camps, supplies areexpected to be exhausted within a week or so. About Journeys Within Tour Company Journeys Within offers customized trips to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Burma and Cambodia. Brandon and Andrea Ross live in Cambodia and travel extensively, keeping in touch with all their guides and making sure all accommodations are up to par. By being based in Southeast Asia, Andrea and Brandon truly know the many destinations and can assure the quality of each tour, setting them apart from the competition. Journeys Within Tour Company and Bed & Breakfast can be found at http://www.journeys-within.com or you can contact Andrea and Brandon Ross at [email protected] or toll free at 1(877) 454-3672. About Journeys Within Our Community Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC) seeks to create and support projects that reduce poverty levels and increase educational and economic opportunities throughout Southeast Asia. Projects provide training and assistance in the areas of health, education, and economic development. As new problems develop, JWOC focuses resources and attention to solve those problems. By working at the local level and focusing on basic needs such as clean water, education, health, emergency relief and other community-based issues, JWOC helps to develop projects that start small, but with outside support, gain momentum andchange lives. More information can be found and donations can be made at http://www.journeyswithinourcommunity.org or you can contact Jesse at [email protected] . Contact: Andrea Ross Director of Tours/Marketing [email protected] 1 (877) 454-3672 SOURCE Journeys Within Tour Company CONTACT: Andrea Ross, Director of Tours|Marketing of Journeys Within Tour Company, 1-877-454-3672, [email protected] Web site: http://www.journeys-within.com http://www.journeyswithinourcommunity.org --Distributed by AsiaNet ( www.asianetnews.net )--