Volunteers for the Taiwan-headquartered global Buddhist charity and humanitarian organization Tzu Chi Charity Foundation recently brought much-needed humanitarian relief to communities in East Africa, following the devastating impact of Cyclone Jude in March.
“In March 2025, Cyclone Jude wreaked havoc across East Africa, severely impacting Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi,” Tzu Chi reported. “The cyclone displaced over 10,000 individuals in Madagascar alone, leaving countless families without shelter and basic necessities. In response to this humanitarian crisis, local partners in Madagascar . . . led a team of more than 20 volunteers to provide essential aid to the affected communities.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Five tropical cyclones were recorded in the southwestern Indian Ocean region between December 2024 and March 2025—Chido, Dekeledi, Honde, Garace, and Jude—impacting 2.6 million people in eastern and southern African, and island nations in the Indian Ocean.
Tropical Cyclone Jude made landfall in Mozambique on 11 March, with winds of up to 120 kilometers per hour and more than 200 millimeters of rain. The cyclone’s landfall caused flooding and widespread damage to infrastructure, leaving thousands of people homeless and without power.
According to data from the European Community Humanitarian aid Office (ECHO), at least 420,000 people across the three countries were impacted, with 16 people killed and 137 injured.
The efforts of Tzu Chi’s volunteers have centered on supplying essential aid to affected communities to help them rebuild their lives and prevent the spread of diseases.
“From 16 March–5 April, these volunteers conducted five distribution phases, delivering rice to over 1,200 households,” Tzu Chi explained. “Families with up to four members received 10 kilograms of rice, while larger households were allocated 20 kilograms. This initiative ensured that thousands of residents had access to a critical food supply during their time of need.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) described the situation as “very bad” and said children were particularly vulnerable, noting that flooding increased the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and malaria. (ReliefWeb)
“In collaboration with the World Food Programme, [Tzu Chi volunteers] worked tirelessly in distributing comprehensive food packages to over 7,000 households. These packages included not only rice and beans but also cooking oil, corn flour, peanuts, and salt, addressing both immediate and medium-term nutritional needs,”Tzu Chi said. (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that in Mozambique alone, Cyclone Jude destroyed at least 40,164 houses, damaged 48,843 homes, and damaged 81 health facilities, 272 schools, 18 bridges, 48 water systems, and 73 kilometers of electricity lines. At least 1.416 million hectares of land were inundated.
Tzu Chi Foundation said it collaborated closely with local governments and other non-profit organizations to ensure the safety of local residents and the effective delivery of essential supplies to the most vulnerable communities and families.
In Malawi, 36 Tzu Chi volunteers conducted assessments and prioritized the distribution of food packages, water purification tablets, and mosquito nets to prevent disease outbreaks and support survivors in rebuilding their homes and resuming agricultural activities.
“The aid provided across Madagascar, Mozambique, and Malawi reflects a commitment to helping communities recover from Cyclone Jude,” Tzu Chi noted. “Volunteers continue to offer compassionate support, ensuring that those affected have the resources they need to rebuild their lives and regain stability.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Republic of China, more widely known as the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, was founded in Taiwan in 1966 by the Buddhist nun and Dharma teacher Master Cheng Yen. With a focus on “putting compassion into action,” the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a UN-accredited NGO with some 10 million supporters and 432 offices worldwide across 51 countries, undertaking regular activities in the fields of humanitarian aid, medical care, education, and environmental sustainability.
As a global icon of socially engaged Buddhism, Master Cheng Yen has expressed a deeply held belief that all people are capable of manifesting the same great compassion as the Buddha. She has noted that true compassion is not simply feeling sympathy for the suffering of others, but is found in reaching out to relieve suffering with concrete action.
Master Cheng Yen is popularly known in Taiwan as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Buddhism, the others being: Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain; Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan; and Master Wei Chueh, founder of Chung Tai Shan. These four global Buddhist orders, correspondingly known as the “Four Great Mountains,” have grown to become among the most influential Chinese Buddhist organizations in the world.
See more
Tzu Chi Foundation
Tzu Chi USA
Rebuilding Lives: Communities in East Africa Recover from Cyclone Jude (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Unicef / Mozambique Cyclone Jude (United Nations)
ACAPS Briefing Note: Mozambique – Impact of Tropical Cyclone Jude, 25 March 2025 (ReliefWeb)
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