Jesuit Response to Cyclone Freddy

It is now almost a month since Cyclone Freddy ripped through the 14 Districts of southern Malawi causing severe damage, loss and death. This cyclone is said to be the longest-lasting and highest-energy tropical cyclone ever recorded worldwide. A draft situation report by the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) released on Wednesday, March 29, showed that up to 2.3 million people in Malawi have been affected thus far; 143,487 households with 659,278 people have been rendered destitute and 577 camps have been set up. About 676 people have died, 1,724 people reported injured and 538 people are still missing – many of them feared to have been buried in the mudslides and rubble of collapsed buildings or washed away to unknown lands.

We are happy to inform you that from the 14th to 16th of April 2023, we will be going once again to Blantyre and Chiradzulu under the Caravan of Hope Malawi Cohort. This visit will see the Caravan of Hope bringing relief items to 3 affected communities that have been raised under the JCED Cyclone Freddy Appeal and Youth4ClimateJustice Drive. We will also be launching our community recovery, healing and psychosocial support initiative called Thandiza -“We Are In This Together”

Thandiza Community Recovery and Psychosocial Support Programme will run for the next 6 months and will involve pastoral care and counselling training workshops, listening, accompaniment and healing/trauma recovery sessions aimed at helping communities move past trauma and despair brought by this disaster toward healing and hope.

Finally, let me take this opportunity to thank all those who continue to support the different appeals and efforts we are making to help the victims of Cyclone Freddy.

Source: JCED Email