When Cyclone Ditwah made landfall in Sri Lanka in late 2025, the rain did not stop. Rivers overflowed, homes flooded, and entire communities across the Northern, Central, and Western Provinces were forced to evacuate.
Nine-year-old Sakisan lived with his parents in a small home that was already struggling to meet basic needs. As floodwaters rose to nearly five feet, the family had no choice but to leave everything behind and seek shelter at a nearby school
Sakisan and his parents stayed at the school for several days, unsure when it would be safe to go back home. Each day brought the same question: how would they eat? Thanks to you, hot meals reached them through International Relief Teams’ emergency food response.
“We were extremely grateful to receive nourishing meals,” Sakisan’s family shared. “It helped us get through one of the most difficult experiences of our lives.”
Families weren’t the only ones affected. Twelve children’s homes caring for more than 300 children were hit by the flooding. At Elim Children’s Home in Jaffna, which cares for 45 children full-time, floodwater entered living spaces and destroyed stored food. Caregivers worked to protect the children, but keeping regular meals going became nearly impossible without supplies.
Your support helped feed Sakisan and the hundreds of families that took shelter at the local school gymnasium. It fed hundreds of children living in group homes.
For children who had already lost the comfort of familiar surroundings, a consistent meal each day was something steady to hold onto.
In total, more than 950 children and family members across Sri Lanka received emergency food assistance. Thanks to you, children were fed, caregivers were supported, and families like Sakisan’s were given the stability they needed to survive another day.