CharityWatch announces a list of legitimate, efficient, and accountable charities involved in efforts to aid and assist victims of the earthquake in Myanmar.

The March 2025 earthquake in Myanmar has had a devastating impact on the population and infrastructure of central Myanmar. Initial reports indicated a lower death toll, but the number has risen sharply as rescue efforts continue and more information becomes available from affected areas. As of March 30th, the confirmed death toll stood at approximately 1,700. However, authorities and humanitarian organizations fear that this figure could increase substantially as the full extent of the catastrophe becomes clearer, particularly in more remote regions where communication and access remain challenging.

Pre-existing restrictions on humanitarian access in certain parts of Myanmar, coupled with the current political situation, may further complicate the delivery of aid to all those in need. Bureaucratic hurdles and security concerns could potentially delay the timely distribution of essential supplies and services. The sheer magnitude of the earthquake and the widespread damage across multiple regions are overwhelming the local response capacity. The number of casualties and displaced individuals is placing immense pressure on existing resources and infrastructure.

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Those wanting to help can consider donating to the following CharityWatch Top-Rated charities. We also encourage donors to visit each charity’s website for more information and more details and updates on how each charity is specifically responding to this catastrophic event.

The charities listed below are Top-Rated by CharityWatch for spending at least 75% of their cash budgets on programs; for maintaining fundraising efficiency of $25 or less to raise each $100 in cash donations; and for meeting CharityWatch’s governance & transparency benchmarks.

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All Hands and Hearts’ Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) is on the ground, actively conducting assessments in Bangkok, Thailand, and working to identify local organizations to support as the region responds to this devastating earthquake.

Americares is deploying an emergency response team to Thailand to respond to the deadly 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28th.

CARE is working on the predicted urgent needs for health and medical services, food and nutrition, shelter, clean water and more. 

Catholic Relief Services is supporting emergency relief for affected communities.

Direct Relief & Direct Relief Foundation is mobilizing emergency response efforts in coordination with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management, or AHA Center. The response is being guided by a standing collaboration agreement between Direct Relief and the AHA Center, established to strengthen and support regional disaster response across Southeast Asia.

Doctors Without Borders USA’s medical humanitarian staff in Myanmar and neighboring countries have the capacity to respond at scale to the needs of affected communities as soon as authorities facilitate swift and unhindered access for teams to do assessments and provide medical care.

International Medical Corps is responding to this crisis, working closely with international and local authorities to assess conditions and coordinate relief efforts, including deploying an Emergency Medical Team to the area if requested to provide medical and mental health care to people in need.

International Rescue Committee teams on the ground are reporting staggering humanitarian needs. The IRC partners have started distributing essential support to the earthquake-hit communities, including water, hygiene kits, and critical medical assistance.

Mercy Corps teams are on the ground preparing to respond to the most urgent needs of families in Myanmar’s communities. 

Project HOPE is mobilizing an emergency response to assess local health infrastructure and provide medical care, critical supplies, and other aid to people impacted by this devastating earthquake.

Samaritan’s Purse sent their Disaster Assistance Response Team to the region, and they are currently setting up a multi-tent facility just outside a stadium in Naypyidaw so they can begin seeing earthquake-affected patients soon.

United States Fund for UNICEF is on the ground helping kids already facing multiple crises. 

World Central Kitchen Relief Team is en route to Southeast Asia.  WCK is working with local restaurants and members of the community to establish connections and access the most impacted areas. 

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Donors Beware

Scammers will exploit your feelings of empathy and compassion during times of crisis as a means of siphoning donations away from legitimate charities and into their own pockets. Read CharityWatch’s advice for avoiding charity frauds and scams: 

5 Tips For Avoiding Charity Frauds & Scams

10 Tips For Giving In a Crisis 

How “Psychic Numbing” Stops Us From Giving

Crowdfunding: The Wild West of Charitable Giving

Warning: Unscrupulous charities will sometimes use disasters as a money grab to raise funds for unrelated causes. CharityWatch does not add just any charity to our disaster alerts. We sort through the marketing fluff of charities to find out what specific aid is being provided to victims before adding an organization to our list. This list will be updated as new information becomes available.

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