Cyclone Ockhi sped across the waters around Sri Lanka and South India – ripping down coconut trees, destroying homes and power lines, and claiming the lives of fishermen who were out on the waters. We immediately mobilized food relief camps, often in conjunction with local churches. We also announced a package of $1,500 for each family in which a fisherman had died and made a pledge to help rebuild houses destroyed by the cyclone.

As families continued to recover more than two months later, Swami Amritaswarupananda presented a cheque for $300,000 to the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, to contribute to the state’s special Ockhi relief fund.