A Devastating Storm Brings Out the Best in Sri Lanka's Resilient People.
Cyclone Ditwah has left a trail of destruction and despair across Sri Lanka, but in the face of this catastrophe, the nation is witnessing an outpouring of volunteerism. The storm, which brought catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed over 460 lives, also seems to have rekindled a sense of community and compassion among its people.
GK Reginold, a Sri Lankan actor and musician, has been doing his part in bringing food and water to those in desperate need. He rode a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, distributing essential supplies to families who have not received aid for days due to the disaster.
"This main reason why I wanted to do this is to at least help them to have one meal," Reginold said. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that."
The deluge has also inspired a sense of volunteerism among Sri Lankans, who are now putting aside their differences and coming together to rebuild the nation. In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who protested against former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that churns out food aid.
Sasindu Sahan Tharaka, a social media activist, told the BBC: "Some volunteers came after work, some took turns and some even took leave to be there. We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday."
Online campaigns are also sprouting up, with social media users creating a public database to direct donations and volunteers. Another volunteer-backed website helps donors find relief camps and what is most needed in those areas.
As Sri Lanka faces one of its worst natural disasters in recent years, the country's people are showing remarkable resilience and compassion. With help pouring in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations, the nation is slowly beginning to rebuild and recover.
The storm may have brought destruction, but it has also brought out the best in Sri Lankans. As Mr Sahan said: "In the end, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade."
Cyclone Ditwah has left a trail of destruction and despair across Sri Lanka, but in the face of this catastrophe, the nation is witnessing an outpouring of volunteerism. The storm, which brought catastrophic floods and landslides that claimed over 460 lives, also seems to have rekindled a sense of community and compassion among its people.
GK Reginold, a Sri Lankan actor and musician, has been doing his part in bringing food and water to those in desperate need. He rode a motorised fishing boat through Colombo's suburbs, distributing essential supplies to families who have not received aid for days due to the disaster.
"This main reason why I wanted to do this is to at least help them to have one meal," Reginold said. "And I was so happy that I was able to do that."
The deluge has also inspired a sense of volunteerism among Sri Lankans, who are now putting aside their differences and coming together to rebuild the nation. In Colombo's Wijerama neighbourhood, activists who protested against former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022 are now helping run a community kitchen that churns out food aid.
Sasindu Sahan Tharaka, a social media activist, told the BBC: "Some volunteers came after work, some took turns and some even took leave to be there. We reactivated the group as soon as we heard what was happening last Thursday."
Online campaigns are also sprouting up, with social media users creating a public database to direct donations and volunteers. Another volunteer-backed website helps donors find relief camps and what is most needed in those areas.
As Sri Lanka faces one of its worst natural disasters in recent years, the country's people are showing remarkable resilience and compassion. With help pouring in from foreign governments and non-governmental organisations, the nation is slowly beginning to rebuild and recover.
The storm may have brought destruction, but it has also brought out the best in Sri Lankans. As Mr Sahan said: "In the end, the joy of helping someone else to save lives makes that tiredness fade."
and it made me think about how amazing it is that nature can still be so beautiful even in the face of devastation like this cyclone. and then i started thinking about how we humans are always trying to control nature, but really we should just learn from its power and respect it more 
. anyway, back to sri lanka - yeah, it's crazy how people can come together like that after everything they've been through. btw, has anyone tried those new plant-based milks that just came out? i'm curious about the taste 
. I mean, Cyclone Ditwah could've easily turned into a disaster on a massive scale, but instead, it brought out an outpouring of volunteerism and compassion from the people themselves. It's beautiful to see how something so devastating can also bring people together 
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. And I'm thrilled to hear about online campaigns and social media groups coming together to make a difference too 
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. As Sasindu said, it's amazing how helping others can make even the toughest challenges feel less overwhelming 
. We could all learn a thing or two from the resilience and compassion of the Sri Lankan people right now 
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I'm like so inspired by what's going on in Sri Lanka right now! The way everyone is coming together after a devastating storm like this is just amazing 
. From actors doing their part by distributing food and water, to activists setting up community kitchens, it's clear that the people there are not only resilient but also compassionate 
! It's beautiful to see Sri Lanka showing off its best after such a disaster 
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i mean, 460 lives lost is just heartbreaking... but at the same time, its amazing to see how everyone's coming together, forgetting their differences and just wanting to help each other out 
. and on top of that, there are these community kitchens popping up where activists from different sides of the politics are working together... its like they say, when life gives you lemons make lemonade, but in this case, when life takes away your home, community comes to rebuild it 
I'm not surprised by all these good Samaritans coming together. It's like they say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or in this case, when life hits with a devastating storm, people come together and show some real heart 
And it's amazing to see the sense of community that's developing in Colombo. Who knew that people who disagreed on politics could still find common ground when their country is hit by disaster?
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The outpouring of volunteerism and kindness is truly heartwarming, especially during times like these. As a parent, it's amazing to see young people taking the lead in organizing relief efforts and rallies 
. The community kitchen in Wijerama is also an amazing example of unity in action 
. Let's hope the recovery process goes smoothly for Sri Lanka 
. It just goes to show that even in tough times, we can still be kind to one another and put our differences aside for the greater good. The fact that strangers are working together, like those activists who used to protest against different people now helping out a community kitchen, it's really beautiful 
. It just goes to show that even when life gets tough, we can still find ways to make a difference and bring joy to others 
people r really showing their humanity during this crisis 
. And online campaigns r making a huge difference too 
. The fact that people are coming together like this after a disaster is just...wow. It makes me think of our own school events where we do charity drives and stuff 
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