Hope Beyond The Earthquake For Mogok - Rebuilding Mandalay

On March 28th 2025, a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar, with Mandalay among the hardest-hit regions. Homes, livelihoods, and communities have suffered, leaving families in urgent need of support. Many of the villagers from Mogok left for Mandalay after the bombings of last year and now they are facing an uncertain future as aftershocks further devastate the country.

My name is Jean-Pierre Mellor, founder of Cha Dodo - a specialty tea company based in Northern Ireland dedicated to sharing the world's finest teas while supporting the communities behind them.

Through my journey in tea, I've had the privilege of working with passionate growers, including Phyu Thwé of Mogok Tea and the Five Trees Estate. More than just a collaborator and producer of specialty tea, Phyu has become as a sister to me. Her kindness, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to Mogok’s tea community have has been deeply inspirational. To me, supporting Mogok is not just about tea; it’s about standing by family.

In collaboration with Phyu Thwé and Mogok Tea, we at Cha Dodo are launching this fundraiser to provide direct aid to the people of Mandalay. Every contribution will go towards rebuilding homes, securing food and essentials, and supporting the recovery of Mogok and Mandalay.

As part of our commitment, 100% of profits from sales of Five Trees Estate's teas will be donated to this relief effort. This will remain the case for the foreseeable future. By choosing their tea through Cha Dodo, you are directly supporting the farmers and families working to rebuild their lives.

While we currently only have the Tree Spirit White Tea available on the website, we are working hard to release the Black Ruby, Tiny Temple Green and Mandalay Mystique teas as soon as possible. You can find our listing of Five Trees Estate teas here.

Tea has always been about connection and resilience. Now, we invite you to stand with us in rebuilding hope for the Mogok community and the people of Mandalay. Every donation, every purchase, every show of support makes a difference. Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

How The Money Will Be Spent

Aiding the people who have been displaced by such a severe natural disaster, the funds will go towards basic necessities with as food, water and medicine. The costs of such basic necessities are rising in face of the disaster and people are struggling to have all bases covered. With the heat accelerating the decay of bodies yet to be recovered, survivors are getting ill from so much death being in the air. It is our priority to ensure that they get the help they need and have hope restored.

A Message From Phyu Thwé

The people of Myanmar have been enduring immense hardship over the past five years. Since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, they've faced ongoing struggles, compounded by civil unrest in recent years. Now, with the added devastation of an earthquake, their situation has become even more dire.

In 2024, many people from Mogok relocated to Mandalay to escape the bombings in the Mogok region. Sadly, they are now victims of this devastating earthquake. My own family, who lives in Mandalay, has been directly impacted by this natural disaster, and it’s been incredibly hard for me to witness this happen to my immediate family.

To support my family and the community, we, Mogok Tea Ltd and Cha Dodo, are organising efforts to help rebuild and provide assistance to those affected.

Your support and donations will make a significant difference in helping them through this challenging time. Thank you for your kindness.