Tribune News Network
Doha
As part of its winter campaign ‘How Long,’ Qatar Charity (QC), through its office in Sri Lanka, implemented an urgent response project for those affected by the flash floods that devastated large areas of the country.
In coordination with the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organisations and the District Secretariat of Mannar, QC’s field teams distributed 1,000 food packages to the affected families in the district. Each package contained essential food items to meet the needs of a beneficiary family for an
entire month.
These efforts are part of QC’s commitment to supporting communities affected by natural disasters. The aim is to meet the immediate needs of those impacted by the floods caused by heavy rains across all provinces of Sri Lanka. The floods submerged vast areas of agricultural land and homes, forcing residents to flee to higher ground to avoid the risk of drowning.
According to the Disaster Management Centre’s data, 59,269 families, consisting of 207,582 individuals, were affected by the floods. Additionally, 3,102 families, with 10,137 individuals, were relocated to safe areas.
The most affected district was Mannar located in the northwest of Sri Lanka, where approximately 12,613 families were affected.
The Additional District Secretary of Mannar, Dilishan Pius, commended QC for its timely intervention, stating: "We deeply appreciate the relief aid provided by Qatar Charity to the victims of the flash floods and heavy rains. Their consistent humanitarian efforts to support those in need are truly commendable.”
The beneficiaries of the project expressed the significant positive impact of QC’s relief efforts on their lives. Washingitina, a beneficiary, said: "We thank Qatar Charity for the help we desperately needed. When the floods hit our village, the water destroyed our homes and everything we owned, including food and furniture, forcing us to move into a small house to survive.”
Sharif, another beneficiary, said, "We lost our daily livelihood when the recent floods swept away our rice fields. This assistance from Qatar Charity provides immediate relief during this difficult time. We are deeply grateful to Qatar Charity and the people of Qatar for their valuable support.”
In past months, QC has provided 2,500 food packages to families affected by floods and landslides, supplied chemical fertilisers to around 3,500 small-scale farmers, and carried out several health initiatives, including providing medical supplies and eye surgeries.