Nearly 12,000 people, including about 3,000 children, affected by Cyclone Ditwah will receive vital cash assistance, protection, and psychosocial support under a new €1 million initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by Save the Children.
Targeting the hardest‑hit central highland districts of Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy, the program aims to help thousands of displaced families rebuild their lives with dignity months after Sri Lanka’s worst landslides and flooding in decades.
According to a statement from Save the Children, the disaster triggered the country’s worst landslides and flooding in decades, affecting over 2.2 million people, claiming hundreds of lives, and devastating livelihoods.
Months later, thousands of families remain displaced, and children continue to experience deep emotional distress alongside severely disrupted household incomes. As the immediate life-saving needs have reduced and the response shifts toward long-term stabilisation, this EU-funded project will help more than 4,000 most vulnerable households, including women and persons with disabilities, rebuild their lives with dignity.
Save the Children states that by combining multi-purpose cash assistance with integrated protection and psychosocial support interventions, the programme allows families to meet immediate priority needs while addressing the broader psychological impacts of the crisis. Community-based emotional support will be delivered through TeamUp, developed by Save the Children and War Child that ensures children can reduce stress, start to feel safe, learn to deal with their emotions and build resilience through play with their peers.
Julian Chellappah, Response Team Lead, Save the Children in Sri Lanka said: “Months after Cyclone Ditwah, families are still struggling not only with financial hardship, but also with the protection risks that come with the prolonged disruption to their lives. Through this EUR 1 million humanitarian investment, EU humanitarian aid is supporting locally grounded recovery efforts that strengthen both immediate assistance and longer-term community resilience. Children in particular are facing uncertainty, distress and instability as they try to recover. This response recognises that recovery must address both immediate economic needs and the safety, wellbeing and protection of children and vulnerable groups.”
By partnering with national civil society organisations, including the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, the Centre for Children’s Happiness, and the Foundation for Innovative Social Development, that have strong community presence, local knowledge and technical expertise, Save the Children aims to address continuing vulnerabilities, reduce protection risks and support affected populations to recover with dignity while strengthening wellbeing, safety and community resilience. With their strong community presence and technical expertise, the EU-funded programme reinforces the importance of locally driven humanitarian action as climate-related shocks place increasing pressure on vulnerable communities across Sri Lanka. (Newswire)