Food Package Distribution for 207 Vulnerable Families
Thanks to your donations, in mid-November 2022, Peace Winds was able to donate an additional 207 food packages to Sri Lankan families living in Piliyadi Village, Trincomalee. Food packages contain rice, flour, sugar, tea, beans, noodles, dried fish, nutritional support for children, and other nonperishable foods.
One of our Peace Winds staff members in Sri Lanka said that she has been in the country for many years, but this is the first time she has seen so much tragedy all at once. Many of the families we met are female-headed households following the disappearance or death of husbands and fathers. One woman said that both her husband and her daughter’s husband disappeared, leaving behind their children. One woman said her husband was murdered. Another woman said that her daughter had left her children to work in the Middle East, but she has stopped sending money to the family and has not been heard from recently.
These families have low and unstable incomes, many women head of household working irregular jobs as housekeepers earning about 500-600 Sri Lankan rupees per day (less than $2 USD). To supplement their income, families in Piliyadi receive or are waiting to receive Samurdhi, or government welfare. However, Samurdhi pays just 3,000-5,000 Rupees per month–the equivalent of about $8-$14. This is not nearly enough to sustain a family. Fortunately, the food packages Peace Winds distributed will support these women and their families for about a month.
The mayor of Trincomalee, who was present for the distribution of the food packages, said, “it’s really pathetic, but the government is still providing very little assistance to the people. This food assistance will be a great help for the poor who have to reduce their daily meals. Thank you very much for your donation.”
Although Sri Lanka’s economic situation has not been widely covered in the news recently, the crisis is still very much ongoing. Inflation hit a record 73.7%, keeping prices for essential goods like food, fuel, and medication out of reach for many families. Peace Winds will continue to collect donations and provide support to the vulnerable families of Trincomalee who have been hit hardest by this crisis, and we will bring more updates as we are able. Thank you for your kind support.
