While the government of Myanmar refuses to let aid from the U.S. onto its cyclone-ravaged shores, agencies in Orange County and beyond are steadfastly gathering donations, confident they can somehow get it to the people who need help.

The cyclone resulted in the deaths of more than 20,000 people, and left many more injured. Despite that, the Southeast Asian country's military regime has allowed in only a small amount of United Nations aid, and has snubbed offers of help from the U.S.

In Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, the people "have small hope for the government to help," said Hla Soe Naing of Costa Mesa. He's a native of that country who two years ago founded Myanmar Charity Group, a small organization to help underprivileged children.

"When Katrina hit the U.S., we were helpless here. This country (Myanmar) has no infrastructure. …They can't get any help from the government. Their only hope is foreign aid."

Naing is sending the monetary donations his group receives directly to people he works with who are already in Myanmar. There, they can directly buy supplies and get them to the people who need them, Niang said.

"We bypass the government…it's faster and more effective. We can select the most needed areas," Naing said.

Buena Park-based Giving Children Hope wants to send a container stuffed with water purification supplies and other items to Myanmar. "We need blankets, fresh water bottles, tents," said Harmony Treviño, spokeswoman for Giving Children Hope. "They're saying about a million people are probably homeless. We'd like to have anything temporary that we can put up."

Donations have come in much more slowly than hoped, Treviño said, but they're hopeful they can still send off other goods with an already-gathered supply of water purification tablets and water bottles with filters.

The Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross is collecting cash donations, which will be passed on to relief efforts organized by the group's national and international branches.

In the meantime, reports and pictures of deteriorating conditions continue to pour out of Myanmar.

It took Naing more than an hour on the phone to connect with his family, who live near the country's capital, Yangon, also known as Rangoon.

"Luckily, my parents are okay. They just had a little bit of damage to their home," Naing said. They told him "the whole city is war-torn. Trees are ripped out by the roots and the whole city is rubble. I'm worried for the consequences coming. There's no electricity. We're worried a lot of people may starve or won't be able to get clean water."

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